About Naturism - Articles http://www.bn.org.uk/articles.php/_/information/about-naturism/ Wed, 22 Feb 2012 10:02:18 +0000 43200 Information about BN and naturism Nothing to hide http://www.bn.org.uk/articles.php/_/information/about-naturism/roni-writes/nothing-to-hide-r77 “Don’t be scared,” says regular BN contributor Roni Fine, “telling people you are a naturist doesn’t lead you to be outcast by friends and family.”

Ask a company for the best form of advertising and the answer will invariably be “word of mouth”. If you want a plumber or decorator, don’t you always ask around first, hoping someone be recommended? You can always pick a firm out of Yellow Pages but you don’t know what they are like first hand. So what is the best way of getting across that naturists are “normal” people and not the perverted characters some publications and production companies like to portray?

Us standing up and announcing to anyone who will listen that we are naturists!! That’s how we will get the message across!

Even before becoming Public Relations Officer for Blackthorns (and using every opportunity to mention the club!), I wasn’t afraid to declare my pastime. I wouldn’t be doing anything I was ashamed of, so it came naturally to me to talk about it. Which is probably why I became PRO - it isn’t a job you can do if you wish to remain anonymous!

I have had nothing but good responses whenever it has come up in conversation, and I didn’t keep it from my family, friends, or work colleagues.
I recently had a “temp” working in my office for a day and Blackthorns came up in conversation, and when she said she hadn’t heard of it, I explained what it was. She was really interested and couldn’t stop saying how surprised she was that I was a naturist.

I’m afraid many have the wrong impression of the sort of people naturists are, and though I’m no spring chicken, she, like many others, still thought naturists were all a lot older than myself! Just by telling people of the age range and the fact that there are families taking part causes them to view it differently. It is sad that they think naturist clubs are only full of very old people, plus undesirables, and rewarding to change their minds and leave them pleasantly surprised that I do it and so do other “normal” people!

I was delighted to tell her everything and hope she does tell the rest of her office where she works, and anywhere else she goes, for that matter!!

We want to get this knowledge to non-naturists in order to make the majority, not the minority, able to admit what we are. And we can do it for free!
The more people declare it, the more normal it will be considered, and when it gets to the stage where people find it boring, we will have reached our goal and be able to practise naturism without the worries of “what if someone finds out?” hanging over us.

Gone will be the need to hide it from employers and colleagues for fear of sacking or ridicule. Gone will be the need to put off family visits without explaining where you have gone instead. Gone will be the worry that children might leak it to their friends and the parents be disgusted. What freedom for your conscience!! Just imagine it!! Your tension headache will be dissolved without the need for soluble aspirin!

Rick is another naturist keen to make it clear that naturism is an acceptable pastime: “I feel very comfortable telling friends that I have taken up naturism, as does my wife. So much so that when we are seeing friends who don’t know, there almost seems to be a race as to who can tell them first! I have not had a negative reaction from any of them. A few just nod and smile and change the subject, but most show a keen interest.”

He explains that he has told some people he meets through work and their response is similar. As for family, he says, “Some family members have been the hardest to tell, though I am not sure why. My only ever negative reaction was from my octogenarian brother-in-law who saw me on a programme I did for Channel 4. It surprised him and he said he was disgusted, but we have never discussed it since and he still speaks to me!” Maybe it just came as a surprise to him that it featured you – after all, what was he doing watching it in the first place if nudity disgusts him so? Ah, now there’s a thought!

Martin is another like-minded naturist who openly admits, “I even feel like shouting it from the rooftops! However, one has to be realistic and practical, picking what one perceives to be the best time to tell any given individual about one’s involvement, as one is trying to make folk sympathetic to the cause and bad timing could have exactly the opposite effect.”

Martin has connections with local churches where he lives and says he always gets a polite hearing, but wonders if they fully understand the concept of naturism. However a local church published his account of his nudist holiday in Croatia in their parish magazine. This brought only one negative response. “A Christian lady who clearly did not approve seemed to think nudist resorts were veritable dens of vice. However, I am persistent in informing her that many Christians are in fact, practising naturists, too, and venues and clubs have strict codes of conduct and are carefully regulated, especially due to the presence of youngsters.”

Quite rightly so, Martin, and did you point out that this isn’t always the case with other clubs and popular places that young people and families attend, so we can argue that naturist clubs are actually safer than public places? Now there’s another thought!

Martin used to ask his neighbour to keep an eye on his house when away at naturist functions and felt it unfair not to explain his absences, so he asked her to guess and she tried, “Butlins”. When he explained the truth it was his turn to be surprised, as she told him she had practised naturism on holiday at Cap d’Agde! “One never knows just what can transpire when one reveals that one is a naturist!” concluded Martin. They certainly had something to chat about over the garden fence after that weekend of revelations!

But even Martin feels it might be unwise to publicise naturist interests when in employment that involves young people, and is concerned it could lead to dismissal, but admitted he had not been a practising naturist until his retirement, so he could not be sure of the consequences had he made it common knowledge.

This is a common misconception, as Dave and Funky would vouch for. I was thrilled when they joined our club and told us they worked in a school and that the school and pupils knew of their naturism interest and, guess what – they didn’t get the sack!

I asked Dave if he had met any problems when he let it be known that he and his wife brought their young daughter to Blackthorns. He said that they had been naturists for several years, and it was only on joining BN and reading the magazine that they realised there were issues at all! “My wife and I are both employed in a school environment. I teach Religious Education and my wife heads up the Outdoor Education department. Some of our colleagues and many of our pupils are aware of our lifestyle and we have met with almost no adverse reactions – perhaps a little snigger from one or two boys, but generally speaking just mild interest and acceptance. Sometimes questions are posed as diverse as – “The Garden of Eden – so did God intend us to wear clothes?” to “Is it okay if we go skinny-dipping during PE?”

“The perception of a link between naturism and sex can also be a problem. I know this has been said many times before, but it is an important point. Working with children today quite rightly means that teachers must maintain a lifestyle free from conflict with the law. However, if our lifestyle were more openly discussed it would enable others to more fully understand it. A huge benefit to society could be gained here, because many of our teenagers only see nudity when accessing inappropriate literature or websites. This has had the effect of making many of them extremely self-conscious about their bodies, and lack of self-esteem, or worse, has been the result of comparing themselves to models. If naturist nudity were more widely accepted it would give a much more accurate view of life and the diversity of our bodies. Overall, I suppose some of our colleagues think we are just bonkers! Should other teachers who are naturists tell their colleagues and students? That has to be an individual choice, but the more that do, the more chance we have of gaining greater public understanding and support.”

Ah, but might they have thought you were bonkers anyway, Dave?! That, we will never know!

I also spoke to Claudette, a long-standing member of Blackthorns who for years told very few people that she and her husband were naturists. “I used to be quite open about belonging to a naturist club, and my son used to speak about it at school when he was quite little. In fact, his teacher called me in one day to discuss the fact that he drew stick-men pictures with no clothes on, and I was happy to explain it was because he spent weekends with naked people and it was perfectly natural for him to draw them without the obligatory skirt or trousers. His teacher wasn’t sure what to say, but was satisfied with the straightforward explanation. However, in more recent years I have worked for a well known supermarket and felt that the younger members of staff might have found ridicule in the knowledge that I took my clothes off. I didn’t want to risk that, so I didn’t mention it. It just didn’t come up in conversation.”

She did confide in one close colleague and then it wasn’t mentioned again, but it didn’t alter the friendship. Someone also discovered her secret when she answered the phone one day to a colleague needing to pass a message to another member. She had to explain why she answered the phone at the club! Again, it didn’t alter things, but wasn’t discussed either. It was only on retirement that she finally opened up about it. “When I admitted where I went at weekends they said, ‘Oh yes, we already knew!’ and to think I thought they had no idea!” No one cared enough to question her and, though it would have been nice to have them more interested, at least it proved she wasn’t regarded as perverted or made an outcast. She now talks about it far more freely and as you can see, is proud to be quoted and photographed! Claudette is out of the closet and into the sunshine with a more relaxed attitude, and is ready to spread the word that naturism is a delightful and relaxing pastime, and she has made many good friends whilst doing so.

So come on, everyone, please make a conscious effort to talk about naturism whenever and wherever you can. Our image has improved vastly in the last few years and it can only get better. Secrecy does so much harm for naturism, so we need to speak up and educate people that what we do is harmless and actually rather nice! It all boils down to the fact that if you are doing something in secret, it is viewed as something that must be shameful!

People’s minds go into overdrive and think up all sorts of scenarios, but we all know to view our club grounds on a sunny day would prove rather boring in reality - naked bodies, yes, but all pretty motionless save for the walk to the pool or ice-cream kiosk (yes we have an ice-cream kiosk at Blackthorns – doesn’t every club?)

Please, please speak up for the sake of all naturists and inform people that you are one and find, yes, that they would never have guessed and yes, that they are pleasantly surprised!! Do be sure to mention BN and perhaps for them to get in touch for their nearest club. You might be surprised how many reconsider and want to join in - encourage them to shed their nerves, inhibitions and clothes and find some relaxation and quality time in a lovely peaceful, friendly, safe environment for all the family.]]> Sat, 07 Jan 2012 12:31:33 +0000 96da2f590cd7246bbde0051047b0d6f7 Ladies, come on in – naturism will change your... http://www.bn.org.uk/articles.php/_/information/about-naturism/ladies-come-on-in-%e2%80%93-naturism-will-change-your-r76 At Nudefest2009 a ladies-only session entitled “Women in Naturism” was held, in which experiences were shared, and thoughts and observations on the issues affecting women in naturism discussed. The women present told of how naturism had changed their lives, and the discussion turned to how to persuade more women to look beyond the ingrained cultural and societal attitudes to nudity and appearance and discover how good naturism can make them feel. Naturist women spreading the word about what they get out of it was a popular suggestion, and Nudefest guest Pam Neate offered to write the following for BN:

When I was a little girl, my doctor told my Mum that she dressed me in far too many clothes! As an adult, I used to be embarrassed taking all my clothes off to get into the bath! How things have changed!

When my husband and I got together about 20 years ago, he loved being naked around the house. I soon enjoyed the experience myself. Hugh had always wanted to be naked outside the house. One day, whilst on holiday in Cornwall, we walked along the beach at Carlyon Bay and came to a sign which read, "Beyond this sign, you may see naked people". While we were reading it, a man walked up to us, naked (we always call him our angel now), and said to us, "Do come and take off your clothes. See how you like it". There was no pressure, but without him we often wonder if we would have had the courage.

Well, Hugh was very enthusiastic, took off his clothes then wandered about. I took my clothes off, slowly, then lay flat on the sand - a bit like the Windmill Theatre (it's all right as long as you don't move!) Eventually, Hugh asked me to go for a little walk with him amongst the greenery at the back of the beach. I forced myself to go with him, but found I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. We felt like Adam and Eve! It was such a life-changing experience. I asked if we could go back the next day!

After arriving home from our holiday, we decided to contact our local naturist club. As a postlady, I knew we had one. I had heard someone saying, "I've got mail for the nudist club today", and everyone had chuckled. Finding it was another matter. To cut a long story short, we found the telephone number and made arrangements to visit for the day. Even with the address, it was difficult to find. We spent the day at TARA, and enjoyed ourselves so much that we wanted to become members immediately. The then owners Ann and Dave would not let us join, but told us to go home and think about it. If we still felt the same the next day, then we could join, which we did, and we have never looked back.

We had felt very nervous the night before we went to TARA. We felt very apprehensive, and wondered if we would see anyone we knew. Being now seasoned naturists (for about 12 years), we can hardly believe we were so nervous. It is a most relaxing way of life, and completely natural. We just wish the weather was warmer, so that we could be naked more often. We have a secluded back garden, and when the sun comes out we garden naked and sunbathe. What a difference it has made to my life. Being naked has "freed me up" and made me a more natural person.

Pam’s ten reasons to be a naturist:
1. The feeling of total freedom (clothes can be very restricting).
2. The body's temperature is able to work better (you can feel colder wearing a few clothes than wearing none at all).
3. A feeling of confidence and comfort (I feel much more confident naked than with clothes. Clothes tend to pull you in and push you out in very unnatural, uncomfortable ways).
4. There is a greater tolerance and acceptance amongst naturists, whatever people's size and shape.
5. Naturists are very friendly. They have nothing to hide. Clothes seem to add big barriers. You are what you are, not what you wear!
6. It is a healthy way of life, not only physically, but also mentally.
7. It is a very safe environment, especially for children. Everyone keeps an eye out for them.
8. Naturists are well behaved and clear up after themselves. (Did you see the litter left at Stonehenge after the summer solstice?)
9. Being a naturist is a natural way of de-stressing your life, and helps with relaxation.
10. Seeing so many naked bodies makes you realise how natural life can, and should, be. Our culture cannot seem to separate nakedness from sex. There wouldn't be so many sex crimes if all people were naturists. I have shed a lot of layers of man-made problems in the shedding of my clothes!

Pam Neate]]> Sat, 07 Jan 2012 12:06:57 +0000 38af86134b65d0f10fe33d30dd76442e Naturism is not a spectator sport http://www.bn.org.uk/articles.php/_/information/about-naturism/roni-writes/naturism-is-not-a-spectator-sport-r70 Roni Fine asks: “Can clothes be a choice?”

How many times have you been caught up in the old argument amongst naturists regarding whether places should be naturistonly or clothes-optional? Would it attract the voyeurs or entice the hesitant person to take part? In an ideal world, it shouldn’t matter who is clothed and who isn’t, but we are not there yet!

Which side of the argument do you take and have you considered it from all angles?

Public beaches that allocate us a sectionwhere we can undress, without being marched off to the local police station because someone stopped to look and then got embarrassed by what they saw, are very pleasant. What better pastime than to laze on the sand, take a leisurely naked walk, fresh air caressing the skin, to the water’s edge? Ah, but some beaches attract the local “meerkats” and the tranquillity is broken by their antics. The few, but nuisance, rogue males who haunt the dunes and pop up and down peering at naturists have been reported to actually position themselves within close proximity to others, even families, and do things to themselves that I think should only be done in private!

This behaviour gives true naturists a bad reputation and frightens away many a reluctant female when her partner had been keen for her to try it out. If naturist beaches attract the “wrong sort” of person, who is taking the opportunity to view the human body with a little more enthusiasm than seems comfortable, then maybe they should not be allowed to share the same areas. We need to protect these beaches, as the local councils will decide to close them to naturism for the slightest of reasons. Even the police can seem to be ignorant of the law and tend to think removing the naturist is the easy option, as not many of us dare to fight back.

Holiday destinations, especially in warmer climes, are popular but beware of the more liberal-minded resorts that permit quite extraordinary antics on the beach! I am not totally against such behaviour, but we advertise naturism as a safe family lifestyle and a non-sexual nudity, so it harms our reputation to have swingers and promiscuous behaviour taking place under the guise of naturism. Let’s segregate ourselves from them for our own protection.

Naturist swimming events at public pools seem to work best when they involve membership, as I often hear open events are overcrowded with men, especially those that make women feel uncomfortable as they seem to be there to look rather than swim. Naturist women don’t object to men; it’s only their behaviour that might worry them, not their presence.

I believe clubs are the best place to practise our lifestyle, as they provide uswith a safe and comfortable atmosphere.

Where else can you strip naked and feel at total ease? We are all there for the same reason and the correct one: to relax in a naked state without upsetting or offending a single soul. It follows then, that no one should be upsetting or offending us either! We are in the age of “equality”, are we not?

I am sure we are like many clubs in that we encourage people to attend Blackthorns hoping they will gain confidence and understand why we do it, but if they flatly refuse to try, then why would they want to continue attending? I’ve heard many say they don’t object to us being naked, but it is not for them. But why would we accept this? You don’t join a golf club and walk round the green dragging a set of golf clubs, but never using them! You walk elsewhere.

You don’t join a weight-watchers group and go along each week munching away on pizza, chocolate cake and ice cream whilst watching the others step on the scales trying hard not to be tempted by these tasty foods! You go to a restaurant.

Naturism is not a spectator sport and though I don’t want to appear paranoid, I feel uncomfortable if people turn up to watch us rather than join in. I would question their intentions. Wouldn’t you?

We get quite a few men with reluctant partners and these men are the ones who wish it was a clothes-optional club, so that they could bring their partner and she need not undress and I do understand that. But, (and there is nearly always a “but”, isn’t there?), this is a situation that can easily get out of hand.

Don’t forget, whilst both sexes might not object to a few clothed women attending, clothed men do not seem to be so readily accepted by either sex.

With today’s equality acts governing all aspects of our lives, if we allow men to bring non-naturist women then we could not refuse women bringing non-naturist men, and how comfortable would we be with them sat on our patio, gleefully enjoying the view? We have to remember we can no longer legally make exceptions. We have to treat everyone the same!

We couldn’t say it’s all right for couples to be clothes-optional, but not allow single people the same choice so we could be inundated with clothed males: again, I am drawing on my experience of membership requests at Blackthorns. We have few single women join, but many single men and a fair amount of single men apply who seem to want to view rather than participate. (If any of you are long-standing BN members you might recall my article campaigning for the acceptance of single men, so please don’t think I am anti!) I am all for anyone joining, just so long as they are naturist-orientated and not thrill seekers!

Try as I might to accept it, I know I feel uncomfortable if there are clothed people amongst us, and my ability to relax is disturbed by those who do not understand naturism and whose views are reflected on their judgmental faces.

It isn’t that we don’t sympathise with nervous prospective members, and we give them ample time and understanding and a little privacy to try it out at their own pace, and very often they take to it and wish afterwards that they had done it sooner!

Strangely enough, it is often the clothed person who feels out of place if they attend on a particularly sunny day when everyone else is naked! If that doesn’t make them undress, then maybe nothing will!

We also welcome friends and relatives to evening socials when we are dressed and always hope they see the normality of naturists and overcome their initial doubts and fears!

We make allowances for the children, as they are brought to the club by their parents; all we ask is that they are encouraged to enjoy the freedom that this lifestyle brings and most of them do. It is then for them to decide if they wish to join in their own right, as naturists, when they turn eighteen.

Like it or not, we have to be realistic and accept that there are always the few proverbial rotten apples in the barrel and there will always be people who try to join clubs for the wrong reasons.

The erratic British weather is another consideration. Isn’t it funny how many times we are asked, “Isn’t it cold in the winter?”, but we mustn’t take it for granted that they know what we do, as it is usually done behind closed doors! I am not of the old brigade that insisted members stripped on entering the gate and remained undressed until they left, whatever the weather!

People’s tolerance of temperature varies and whilst some are wearing jumpers when others are in t-shirts we would expect them to undress when the sun is shining and temperatures are in the eighties! Likewise, when people insist they cannot undress as they are fair-skinned and burn easily, we point out they need not sit in direct sunlight, but can enjoy their nakedness under the shade of tree or parasol. To sit in the sun fully clothed, complaining of the heat seems a little weird in a naturist environment.

So do you really feel there is a need for naturism to become clothes-optional?

Please think about the consequences!]]> Sat, 07 Jan 2012 11:53:29 +0000 149e9677a5989fd342ae44213df68868 <![CDATA["I'm New To This, Me!"]]> http://www.bn.org.uk/articles.php/_/information/about-naturism/roni-writes/im-new-to-this-me-r69 Roni Fine gives a beginner’s guide to naturism

So you’ve decided to become a naturist, now what? Is it that simple - you take your clothes off and that’s it? Well, yes, in principle that’s all you need to do, but there is a whole lot more out there to make naturism an enjoyable way of life.

To be reading this you have obviously got as far as joining BN, or know someone who has, and that is a good way of sourcing information. You can find details of clubs and swims, days out and holiday destinations. Next, you decide to head off to one of these places, but what does this involve? Do you just turn up? What is expected of you? If I had to write a naturist law, I would say, “Do not do anything to upset or offend another person.” But isn’t that a good rule for any community?

There is social etiquette, as in any way of life, but first of all, relax! Naturism is all about the feel good factor, so don’t get stressed out worrying how you are to do it! Just be yourself, only, when it is warm enough, remove your clothes. It is as simple as that - well, okay, there might be a few unwritten rules

It can seem a little daunting to undress in front of perfect strangers – and if it is your first time, no one is going to force you until you are ready - take your time and feel comfortable. Once you are with a group of naked people, you often feel the odd one out if dressed. Once you strip off, you feel one of the crowd and it feels completely normal! You can generally choose where to undress - not necessarily with an audience! It is best to choose clothing that is easy to deal with, so as not to attract attention to yourself - something simple that pulls off and on with little effort. T-shirt and shorts for the men. A simple sun-dress for the ladies. Women often feel very exposed when first going naked, so it can be a good idea to wear a sarong. You can very simply loosen and drop the sarong as you sit down and tie it again as you get up, without drawing attention to yourself. You will soon be able to get up and walk without even thinking of replacing it.

Don’t worry that you will no longer have the need to buy a new dress – sorry, gentlemen, but when your lady says she has nothing to wear, she isn’t joking! Naturist venues mainly involve evening socials to be clothed events, as handling food or each other on the dance floor is generally considered to be best carried out fully clothed.

You might well be wondering where to look and thinking it will be embarrassing to be close to other people when undressed. Don’t fret - it will be easier than you imagine. There is far more eye contact between naturists and perhaps this concentrates the mind on the conversation, as it is often said how friendly and approachable naturists are. It is obvious etiquette not to stare at people, but as always, “Do unto others as you wish to be done by” stands fast.

The biggest fear of taking part as a naturist is usually the person’s own lack of self-esteem. They think their body is not good enough to be seen. Am I right? Is that what you have been thinking? That it is all right for those who are slim, trim and toned, beautifully tanned and attractive? Well, think again! Naturists are not that small a section of the population, we are a whole cross-section of all shapes and sizes, from all backgrounds and of all ages: a thoroughly mixed bunch of people, so yes, you too can be a naturist! Do not worry that you have a body problem that might stop you from being unclothed, as the naturist community is the one place that is totally accepting and you will not find prejudice or ridicule. I have witnessed this and been told directly by people with artificial limbs, mastectomies, cellulite and scars.

What I hear time and again is that naturism is a great leveller, by which people mean that once the clothing identity is removed, we see the real person and take more notice of their true self - their attitude, their intelligence, their friendliness, their sense of humour and their feelings. Gone is the need to dress to impress and hide behind a false persona.

People often worry about the effect naturism has on children, but it is the children who love to be free of clothing and it is only the grown-ups who finally make them feel ashamed of their bodies. By raising children in a naturist community you will be raising them with fewer hang-ups and greater understanding of their peers.

And no white bits! What could possibly persuade you to be a naturist more than having no white bits?! Bodies look best when they have an all-over colour! But don’t worry if you are a redhead and burn easily - naturism isn’t just about getting a suntan, it is about being natural and feeling good, and you can do that in the shade, too!

Many men are genuinely worried that they might suffer a natural reaction to an attractive female, but they soon appreciate that we are dealing with non-sexual nudity and it is the addition of clothing that adds the sexual connotation. Having said that, it is a good idea to carry a towel. It can be held in front of your body if you feel rather exposed, and it also provides you with something to do with your hands when standing around, initially feeling very much on show. You will soon feel totally at ease and just drape it over your arm or shoulder. Of course, it is a compulsory accessory for every naturist as it is etiquette, for obvious reasons, to sit on your own towel when using communal seating.

Ladies, you might wonder what to do when you have a period and the answer is simple – wear whatever is comfortable for you. Of course, it would soon be noticed in most clubs if you never uncovered, as the majority are not clothes- optional. You do need to have the intention to be naturist whenever possible. This leads to another frequently asked question: “What do you do when it gets cold?” The answer to this is more obvious than people imagine: we get dressed! It is strange how people still think naturists remain naked whatever the weather, and I always explain that we are naturists, not masochists! What you will find is that you need to carry something warm but easy to slip on, as the temperature in this country changes, like the…er…weather!

There are many jokes about what to do with your money and keys, as you have no pockets, and there are no prizes for realising that the female half of a couple always ends up with everything in her handbag – but isn’t that always the case, anywhere? It goes almost without saying that cooking, especially barbecueing, is best done wearing an apron, if only to dispel those silly jokes about cooking the wrong sausage, but also to protect oneself from spitting fat!

Body piercings and tattoos are often a cause for concern. I have never heard of objections to tattoos - just the occasional cringe at the thought of the pain involved in obtaining them! I believe nipple jewellery is generally accepted, but some clubs frown on genital piercings, especially if they are not discreet, so it might be wise to make enquiries before turning up fully adorned.

Naturism can mean different things to different people and you need to decide what the right path is for you. Some people are happy to throw off their clothes when home alone or in the privacy of their own secluded garden (lucky things!), and this is enough for them, but others want to be part of a community and use naturism to meet like-minded individuals. This can open up a whole new world to you, full of new friends and activities linking you with people all over the country, indeed, the world.

For some, naturism is more of an outdoor pastime and they find somewhere to walk off the beaten track. You need to carry some instant clothing to ensure a quick cover-up, but the worry of meeting someone who objects does rather spoil the tranquillity of the moment. Hence people visit beaches that have been set aside, although some involve a hike to reach them, so you must be fit! However nice these designated beaches are, the other problem I must warn you of is that they are still public and there is the chance of people attending for the wrong reason. I am, of course, referring to the presence of ‘meerkats’. If you have ever watched a nature programme about these animals, you will instantly recognise the similarity between them and the rogue males who bob up and down in the sand-dunes to view naked bodies. When behaviour gets beyond that which can be ignored it needs reporting. Regrettably, naturists are loath to do this for fear of local people and council officials using these incidents to close these beaches to them. We don’t want these people polluting our beaches either, so please report them to the police or get advice from BN. Please don’t think all single males are prone to this behaviour - it is a minority group. There is safety in numbers, so place yourself near others and you will find true naturists are a friendly group and that it is easy to engage in conversation. You will soon have someone to watch over your belongings whilst you wander down to the water’s edge.

If a trip to the beach is too far to be worthwhile as the weather might have changed before you get there, then a club is your best bet. You might not have the waves lapping and the sand under your feet, but you will find yourself in a friendly, relaxed, comfortable and safe atmosphere. Does that sound like I am biased towards clubs? Well, maybe I am, because I love what I have at Blackthorns and I don’t deny it! But I also love to visit the Welsh Morfa Dyffryn beach. I will put up with the slight possibility of ‘meerkats’ for the beauty of the sea and sand and if I lived closer, I would be there every weekend. I’ve said it before and I will say it again, by joining a club you are instantly in a safe, secluded environment where everyone is there for the right purpose and this creates a relaxed atmosphere, enabling you to get on with feeling good! Most clubs consist of a pool and sunbathing lawns and a good social scene, with dances and gatherings as well as sporting facilities, which can be for fun or competition. By belonging to CCBN you can join teams and compete against other clubs.

A lot of people discover naturism when holidaying abroad and finding themselves on a naturist beach by accident - or so they say! Perhaps it is their way of trying it out without admitting that it has been their lifelong wish!

There are a growing number of classy holiday destinations for naturists, whether at naturist hotels, near naturist beaches or at a proper naturist complex where you can literally remain undressed day and night for the whole of your stay, whether on the beach, at the bar, in the restaurant or at the supermarket. There is a whole world of naturism to discover out there.

Well, there you are - all set to face the naturist population with pride and confidence. Now I must dash out and buy a new towel as I have just realised that I haven`t any to go with my new red shoes. Oh, and I need a red hat, too…or should I get purple? Oh dear! I just have NOTHING to wear!]]> Sat, 07 Jan 2012 11:52:14 +0000 3636638817772e42b59d74cff571fbb3 “It’s the way you tell ‘em!” http://www.bn.org.uk/articles.php/_/information/about-naturism/roni-writes/%e2%80%9cit%e2%80%99s-the-way-you-tell-%e2%80%98em%e2%80%9d-r68
So often I have heard the question, “Why would I want to do that?” and that can mean a lengthy explanation, so let’s get the explanation in first and they won’t need to ask!

Example 1:
“I go somewhere where we all take our clothes off and lie in the sun, play sports or swim in the pool in the nude.” This usually raises the big question, “Why?”

Example 2:
“After a long day at work in the summer, whilst you are on your way home in the car, stuck in the traffic, picture me on my way to my club where I will be able to jump into a pool which will be refreshing, invigorating and relaxing. I will climb out and leisurely dry myself before lounging in the sun with a drink at my side and in the company of other relaxed, contented people. I will let my skin safely soak up the much-needed vitamin D and totally unwind after a day at work. We will enjoy pleasant conversation until the sun goes down. All this and the total freedom of being naked, too.”

Famous comedian Frank Carson wasn’t wrong when he said, “It’s the way I tell ’em!” It’s all in the delivery. If you describe the sensation first and the way to achieve it second, the listener is already wanting it and will lap it up. It’s marketing!

This is what the famous M&S ads have achieved. They describe a quite ordinary meal in such a way that we are salivating at the mere thought of it. We can copy this method, “This is no ordinary way to relax - this is the naturist way to relax.” We can make it sound so much more special than everyone else’s!

When someone asks me where I go at the weekend I don’t just say, “I go to a naturist club and take my clothes off.” What does that tell them? The bare facts, yes! But it does nothing to sell naturism, or Blackthorns, in fact it runs the risk of their thinking that I’m ‘one of those strange people’, and I don’t want them to think that, at least, not because of naturism!

What I say is: “I belong to a club that is set in 15 acres of woodland. It’s a beautiful natural setting that is full of birdsong and wildlife. There are many types of trees and in spring the floor is a carpet of primroses and violets, followed by masses of bluebells. There is always the chance to spot muntjac or roe-deer that frequent the wood and so many types of birds to look out for and identify. Their songs are so beautiful. You might never hear anything like it if you live in a built-up area. It is such a relaxing place to be and I’m sure it is a help to lose some of the stresses of life and gives me a complete break. It’s like having a mini-holiday right on my doorstep! We have a pool and patio that catch the sunshine all through the day, right until the last rays are setting in the distance.

We have a communal barbecue where we cook our own food and dine together, drinking and talking until late in the evening. Families and children are included and we are of all ages and backgrounds, making an interesting group of people that can evoke conversation that you might never find elsewhere. In conversation and discussion, we are all equals, sharing laughter and friendship. We also have many sporting facilities, so we can be as active as we wish or merely soak up the sunshine - all of which is made even more comfortable by the fact that we remove the constrictions of clothing and are totally free to the world. It’s a great place to be.”

There, weren’t you lapping all that up and then, had you not been reading BN, only at the end would you have realised that we take our clothes off. Before that, not a mention of nudity or naturism, but the impression of a comfortable relaxed atmosphere - one of which who wouldn’t want to be part?

If you don’t have a club like Blackthorns to describe you can still use your experiences, be they at a beach, swim or holiday resort. Describe your holiday with great emphasis on every aspect you think that particular listener would be keen on, whether it is a lovely beach, beautiful scenery, long walks or the nearest golf course. If you attend a swim enlarge on the friendly atmosphere and the health and fitness aspect, followed by the social side of belonging to a group of like-minded people.

Paint a picture that is so good that everyone wants some of it and then throw in the naturist factor! Leaving the nudity bit to last takes away its importance and hopefully helps people to accept that it is a natural part of our life and not the only part.

Once this aspect has been mentioned, keep the attention by describing the feeling of invigoration and freedom. Ask if they have watched the television programme How to Look Good Naked. Most know of it as once the word ‘naked’ is used people will watch! Isn`t it amazing that the one subject they find repulsive in reality is the one they find compulsive television viewing! The expression used to describe the final photo shoot by the ladies who have found the courage to strip for it is “liberating”. Almost all have said that nudity was their biggest fear and, once done, they have found the strength to face the world and anything it might throw at them. And to think we are doing this all the time!

Of course, there will be some who still suspect nudity equals sexual activity, and that is to be expected of some narrow-minded individuals who only see naked bodies depicted in that way. It isn’t really their fault that they are suspicious, but we must try to explain the difference and it is our open attitude that will guide them to accept that our social nudity is of a non-sexual nature.

Explain that because everyone is naked it becomes the norm and no longer attracts the attention that it would in the high street. In fact it is the newcomer, still fully dressed, that gets noticed. As for any sexual attraction, just point out that it is the addition of clothing that evokes these feelings. Partial clothing of the body is far more of a tease - you only have to look at the relevant magazines for examples of that. I always tell people that, if they should come and look at the naked bodies lying around the pool, they would soon find it boring as they are quite inactive and all pretty much alike. People are not behaving competitively nor parading or preening themselves, but are relaxed and at ease with each other. Remind people that this is how it is at any naturist beach or swim. If they want a bit more activity, then promote Nudefest2008 or the Alton Towers weekends! Ensure they realise naturism covers all ages and interests, including sports for which they need only join BN and a whole new world is open to them! A lot of people don`t realise that naturism can be so much more than merely removing one’s clothes!

Be prepared for people to say they couldn’t do this because they are overweight, unattractive, have scars, cellulite or whatever else they can think of to blame. Be ready to explain that they are not too overweight, or anything else, as naturism is accepting of all shapes and sizes. Be careful you don’t sound like you are agreeing with them on this one, merely explaining that whatever they are, and however they feel, they are perfectly able to participate and will not be judged. Whilst reminding them that naturism is about body acceptance and not body beautiful, be careful you do not imply they are not! Show them your copy of BN or direct them to the website to prove we are just everyday normal people and not all super-model types. Try to convey the confidence boost we can feel simply by finding the strength to shed our clothes and inhibitions, and the feel-good factor it brings with it. I try to explain the feeling by relating it to the wondrous relief we get when kicking off a pair of shoes after a long, hard day, but you get this feeling all over when you shed your clothes!

Have a reply ready for when people ask why you are a naturist, so that it sounds spontaneous but truthful. Think hard - why do you do this? The simple answer I give is that it feels nice. I remind people that I do it to feel good - not to be seen, not to upset or shock, not to push the boundaries of the law, not to demand my rights as a citizen, simply because it feels nice. I then go on to explain why I attend a club to do this. I know it isn’t against the law to be naked in public (and it is always worth stating that), but I still prefer to be somewhere I feel comfortable and safe in the knowledge that no one is going to be upset. Personally, I think I gain respect by saying I don’t wish to cause offence. I don’t want to provoke a confrontation and, whether we like it or not, the majority of the public are just not ready for us - yet! Let’s get them used to our being naked in certain places first, take away the shock aspect of it and educate them that we are just ordinary people. If we show them respect by doing this in recognised places, be it clubs, allocated beaches or private gardens, they will show us respect in return. With a gradual approach we might soon be able to openly sunbathe nude in public parks as they do on the continent. First, we need to take away the fear people have of us because, let’s face it, their reaction is usually down to being afraid - what other reason is there for them to object to seeing a body without clothes? Personally, I would be much more afraid of encountering a masked man, a “hoodie”, or other threatening-looking person in a lonely spot, than a naked man!

Whatever your long-term views, we must wean the public on to naturism gradually so that they accept it. If we try to do too much too quickly, they will not want to listen but will vote against it every time. As the Ashanti people in Ghana told Baden-Powell, “Softly, softly catchee monkey!”]]> Sat, 07 Jan 2012 11:51:06 +0000 006f52e9102a8d3be2fe5614f42ba989 Nothing makes you feel better! http://www.bn.org.uk/articles.php/_/information/about-naturism/roni-writes/nothing-makes-you-feel-better-r67 Roni Fine talks to naturists about body image.

Going to a wedding, an interview, a party or a first date? These occasions usually involve worrying about what to wear! We want to create a good first impression. Image! It's an important thing and not just with clothes but with our whole bodies. The fashion industry has indoctrinated us with what the right look is and which size and shape we must be.

Most of this is an impossible ambition and many people suffer from eating disorders and depression along the way. This can be a problem for all of us at some point in our lives unless we are wise enough to be at peace with ourselves - accepting of, and comfortable with, what we are. You know what I'm going to say: that last bit refers to naturists!

How important is the visual image and how much relies on our attitude, body language and what we actually say? Can we still make friends and influence people when we have no clothes to hide behind? I think we make more effort with eye contact and communication. We use our natural instincts, many of which have been forgotten over the years.

It also seems that people who are reticent to uncover in public find the naturist community the one place they are able to do so, knowing they will not be laughed at or have cruel remarks voiced out loud. It is very sad that they should suffer people's bad manners on top of what might have already been traumatic times in their lives.

One of a couple who joined Blackthorns had had a leg amputated after a motor-bike accident and the couple told us how they had been to beaches and heard hurtful comments. They had put an end to this by joining a naturist club, where they knew they would be accepted by all. Indeed, on their very first visit to Blackthorns he felt so comfortable that he was able to remove his artificial leg and use our pool.

Ray and Marnie told me how they met up with an old friend at an event. Ray recalled, "We went over to say hello, having not seen her for a year. Later the same day I happened to stop and talk to her again – it was not until I saw her for the second time that I noticed that she'd had a mastectomy!" That says it all! They spoke to the person - not her body, not her breasts!

And just as losing a breast must be traumatic for a woman, so must losing a testicle for a man. Andrew had testicular cancer 20 years ago, at the age of 26. "I have found that being a naturist has helped me not to worry about body image and actually be proud of my body, even though I now have only one testicle," he says. Andrew has noticed how naturists are all so tolerant: "Whether or not you have an operation or disfigurement, you are treated with respect from understanding fellow-naturists. That has helped me through, and I now feel confident about my body."

Teenagers tell me they are more confident about themselves as a direct result of being brought up with the awareness and acceptance of people's bodies.

Leah is 18 and is pleased to have been raised this way. "As a naturist I take people for who they are, and not what they look like," she says. "When unclothed, no one is rich or poor, no one has good or bad fashion sense - people become equal." It is nice to think these youngsters stand a good chance of avoiding the worries of extreme dieting and body image issues.

I've chatted with women who admit they were worried about being seen undressed and feeling fat, but are glad they gave it a go and found they could brave the looks of others without being stared at, and they became relaxed with nudity and comfortable with themselves.

Someone who went through these worries is Andy, who admits it was her size that stopped her practising naturism when she really wanted to, until she saw sense, went to Studland Beach and took her clothes off! Andy admitted, "After many years of trying and largely failing to lose weight, I became resigned to the fact that I was never going to be sylph-like and decided to concentrate on being as fit as I could for my size." She was conscious of what others thought of her, but decided, "If they don't like it that's their problem – the sun and sea are there for us all and if they don't like the look of me they can just look away." But this didn't happen. "In fact, I found people far friendlier than on a textile beach, probably because the initial barriers had been broken down. We had something in common, so making conversation was easy." Taking that initial step has led to her feeling more confident, as she explains: " It might have even helped in my being successful in recent job interviews – the self-confidence I have gained in the last few years – not necessarily talking about naturism!" Her one regret? Waiting until she was over 40 before doing it! But she says, "I have given up being obsessed about losing weight. I try to eat sensibly, exercise and try to have a positive outlook on life." Sounds like good advice to me!

It isn't just women who have this concern about being overweight. Graham found he put on weight and developed rosacea, primarily as a result of a stressful time in his life. "It sapped my confidence," he explained, "I just didn't take care of myself any more and dressed so as not to be noticed, so I looked a mess!" It was when he visited a naturist club that he found people accepted him for himself, as he explains: "Being naked was the only time I didn't feel awkward about how I looked. Whenever I was dressed, my clothes felt wrong and I felt awful. When undressed, people talked to my face and I didn't feel they were noticing my bad skin, but my eyes, and for the first time I felt I was seen as a person. It was only when I had gained this renewed confidence that I was able to take control of my life, and with the help of a Channel Five programme, Diet Doctors, I have lost three stone and feel so much better for it. But I did that for myself, because I know I need to be healthy as well as happy!"

Naturism has many benefits, but if it can help us accept ourselves for what we are and not what we think we should be, then it is doing a grand job! If we are steered away from obsessive dieting and gain the confidence to take on a healthy lifestyle, then it is a bonus. Naturism seems to promote a more sociable environment and we all benefit from the friendship and support of others.

So if you are thinking you would like to go naked in the company of like- minded people, but daren't because you think people won't want to see your body, please throw off those doubts and give it a go, because we really don't care what you look like! The only thing we would like to see you wearing is a smile! Come and join us!]]> Sat, 07 Jan 2012 11:48:08 +0000 5878a7ab84fb43402106c575658472fa “You’re never too young to go clubbing!” http://www.bn.org.uk/articles.php/_/information/about-naturism/roni-writes/%e2%80%9cyou%e2%80%99re-never-too-young-to-go-clubbing%e2%80%9d-r66 Roni Fine, regular BN contributor and PRO for Blackthorns, BN club of the year 2005, talks to families in naturism


The media and those new to naturism are often surprised by the numbers of young people and families that frequent the naturist venues around the UK - having mistakenly thought of it as the pastime of the elderly. But what better way of escaping the stress of modern life than to seek relaxation in a peaceful setting such as a naturist club? It encourages families to spend quality time together and unites all ages.


I love the Welsh naturist beach of Morfa Dyffryn, and the vast expanse of sea and sand enhance my feelings of total freedom, but it does not have the extra factors which I take for granted when attending Blackthorns. I find comfort in the fact that everyone around me is a friend, not a threat, and I can close my eyes and soak up the atmosphere without sneaking a worried look every time I hear footsteps.


I believe there are some who have a dislike of clubs, thinking they are run by packs of old fogeys on committees. This is certainly not the true picture! Yes, we have rules - but they are guidelines for the members and obviously someone has to implement them. The fact that we have a certain amount of exclusivity provides us with the very foundation of safety and security that people feel comfortable with.


I am pleased to be able to say that children make our club what it is and give far more to it than they perhaps realise. They are (on the whole!) a pleasure to have around. Where else would adults say that of youngsters? They are usually viewed as trouble, for fear of what mischief they might be up to. Instead, ours add some fun and family feelings for us all.


It transpires that all the adults keep a watchful eye over the children, and this creates a feeling of community spirit and peace of mind. The children gain extra freedom and the parents gain extra relaxation time! You just don’t get this in public parks or leisure centres where you can’t take your eyes off them for a moment. We generally tell children to beware of strangers, and adults are wary of helping a child for fear of retribution. In this often-wicked world nowhere is safe, but Blackthorns comes very close!


I spoke to some of our youngsters just recently and was delighted to hear such positive reactions to the question of whether it is beneficial being a member of a naturist club.


They were all in agreement that it has made them more confident in a variety of ways, and in this world of media attention to fashion and body image they have a lot to contend with. There are so many anorexic role models for them, and young girls, in particular, end up unwell in attempting to follow their example.


Of course, they still like to follow fashion trends, but they don’t seem as obsessed with their body shape and weight as is the general trend.
Annie (14) and Emma (15), who first attended at ages 10 and 11, said, "We
thought it was really “cool” (N.B. to us oldies that means trendy and even
exciting!) when we first came here, and seeing naked people didn’t worry us
in the slightest!"


This is the general trend: children are far more accepting of the human body, and it is often the adults who introduce prejudices and worries. Emma told me, “I only wish we’d come here sooner.” Annie said, “Forming such close friendships here has taught me to make close friends, with both sexes, at school.” They actually said, without any prompting, that they felt like “one big family!” How nice is that?!


I was concerned that the children might be cutting themselves off from other close relationships only forged within school, but they insist that they have school life and club life, with home life being the in-between state. They even insist it doesn’t get in the way of their homework. I`m not sure how much homework actually gets done over the weekend at the club, but that would probably be the same if at home and something for the parents to sort out!!


Julia, mother of 5-year-old Ronnie, told me, “These kids of all ages just gel. I couldn’t let him have this freedom at home, and I certainly wouldn’t allow him in the park, as there is always the possibility of remnants of drug-taking and drinking, and I don’t want him mixing with the local lads as he gets older and getting caught up in their bad ways.” She also saw health benefits: “Ronnie could easily get overweight, and by being here he is getting far more exercise playing football and swimming, whereas if at home all weekend he would invariably end up in front of the telly or computer.”

Howard is father to Chloe (11) and Ross (16), and is positive that naturism is making them more confident in themselves and with others. “They grow up accepting nudity as natural,” he explains, “ - they don’t make a big thing of it and neither should adults. My daughter has the advantage of spending time with the older girls and has all the girlie chats and shopping expeditions with them that all little girls would love. I can’t imagine her having anything like the freedom she has if we were only at home.”


We have several families that can claim three generations as current members. Lee and Jane came to the club with their parents and are now bringing their son, Jamie (15). Lee says he thinks the reason naturist clubs work so well is that everyone is equal. “There are no barriers,” he says, “no one knows anyone before meeting here and then they are all part of the same thing.” When asked if he thought it was beneficial growing up in Blackthorns, he replied with a smile, ”I’ve loved it!” Lee spoke of the respect that others had pointed out: “The kids have respect for the adults here, and they talk to each other and mix with all ages. I’d avoid groups of teenagers on street corners myself, and I don’t want my son being part of that.”


Jamie agreed: “If I were spending my time at home, I would be watching films and playing computer games with my friends, but when I’m here I have the pool to use and can play sports whenever I want.” As his Mum, Jane, was quick to point out, “We could never afford to go out as often as a family, or play all the sports we do, if we had to pay each time at a public pool or sports centre. But here, we get it all year round at no extra cost. It’s great value for money!” Maybe because naturism has become second nature to her, Jane says, “I don’t view it as a naturist club first and sports and social club afterwards - it is just “the club” and it is all part of the package.”
She, like us all, takes it for granted that we have the extra comfort of being undressed when the temperature allows it. No big deal!


Often the youngsters go through a stage when they do become a little more self-conscious and remain dressed, but they all know the rule regarding the pool: absolutely no swimwear! It’s funny how they can then shed their towels and inhibitions without a second thought! We must remember that they are here because their parents bring them, and we therefore make allowances and let them dress as and when it suits them.


Teenagers often take a break from attending here if university or change of lifestyle dictates, but it is pleasing to see that they invariably drift back and rejoin, usually bringing a partner with them.


Naturism might be what brings us together, but I’m pleased to report it is then the family feeling that keeps us together and makes Blackthorns what it is - a good place to be. I’m sure it is the same for many a club, and I recommend that you join one today!!]]> Sat, 07 Jan 2012 11:46:14 +0000 7e7757b1e12abcb736ab9a754ffb617a In at the Deep End by Robert http://www.bn.org.uk/articles.php/_/information/about-naturism/first-time-experiences/in-at-the-deep-end-by-robert-r29
Unlike many of you who will be reading this I don't come from a naturist family, I don't have any naturist friends and in fact I'd never really looked into naturism. So it came as quite a shock to my friends and family when I announced that I was going along to the YBN gathering in Telford. Nakedness has always been fairly natural to me: whenever I'm alone (and in private!) I'm naked - it just feels a lot more natural than being covered in hot, sweaty clothes, but I've led quite a sheltered life and the number of times I'd seen another person naked could be counted on the fingers of one hand.

I went down to Telford with no real expectations of what it would be like and feeling fairly calm about the whole thing. When I arrived I was quite shocked (surprise, surprise!) to see 20 or 30 naked people (mainly twenty-somethings) around! One in fact came over to me and said hi. It was a bit alarming to begin with...this guy (Joel, I later discovered) helped me to set up my tent and then I got inside and wondered what I was going to do next. I decided that if I was going to be there I ought to do it properly, so I stripped off and covered myself in SPF 50 (I burn very easily). I waited in my tent for as long as I dared, so long in fact that someone came and asked if I was OK.

Eventually, I came out of my tent in all my naked glory (so to speak). It was really quite odd at first being naked around all these people, but after only a few minutes it didn't seem like a big deal - I mean, I did keep noticing that there were naked people everywhere, but I was less and less bothered by it. I think the thing is that it's not being naked that is shocking or surprising or even stimulating, so much as what people are doing at the time. You can look at a high art nude photo and not find it erotic at all - in the same way being naked doesn't automatically result in an 'Oh, my God, everyone is naked!' kind of reaction.

In fact I found that, once I got over the initial surprise of the whole thing, it started to feel pretty natural and normal to be naked around other people. Indeed, looking back it seems a lot more strange for us all to be going around in our clothes. Added to that, it makes you think more realistically about your self-image - I know that I should lose weight (and I want to), but my view of myself is compared against some kind of unrealistic expectation of what I 'should' look like. Seeing what everyone else actually looks like naked helps you (or at least helped me) to have a much more positive view of my own body.

What was really good about the weekend was the company. The people there were really welcoming and friendly - I find it really hard to get to know new people, but it wasn't so hard with these guys.

On the Saturday some of us went off to Water World to swim naked with 400 other naturists! It was pretty amazing, both in terms of the experience of swimming naked (which was very nice and liberating) and also the experience of being there with all the other people. Perhaps I'm going overboard here, but I felt a certain closeness with these people that I don't in general in society. Perhaps it was just because in some sense I belonged to the same group as them (tiddlywinks players, I suspect, feel at home with other tiddlywinks players), but I couldn't help but feel that it was more than that - that by removing their clothing these people were removing other less visible barriers between one another. Perhaps that's crazy talk, I don't know - it was pretty good fun either way.

So my first dip into the world of naturism was, I think, something of a success. A great time spent with great people. I'm hoping to go along to as many YBN events as I can manage, and I'd encourage any other twenty-somethings to come along, too.]]> Mon, 19 Dec 2011 15:37:39 +0000 d1f491a404d6854880943e5c3cd9ca25 A History of Naturism - Timeline http://www.bn.org.uk/articles.php/_/information/about-naturism/history-of-naturism/a-history-of-naturism-timeline-r28 1891 The earliest known naturist club in the world exists in British India. Founded by Charles Edward Gordon Crawford, a widower, who is a District and Sessions Judge for the Bombay Civil Service at Thana. The club's constitution would be acceptable nowadays. His only fellow members are Andrew and Kellogg Calderwood, sons of a missionary. Crawford remarries in 1892 and dies two years later. The club ends about 1892. Its existence has no known influence on later events.

1893 Heinrich Pudor publishes Nackende Menschen: Jauchzen der Zukunst (Naked Mankind: a Leap into the Future), followed in 1906 by two books on Nackt-Kultur (naked culture).

1906 Richard Ungewitter publishes Die Nacktheit (Nakedness) which speedily becomes a best seller.

1912 Marguerite Le Fur publishes "Le Bonheur d'être Nu" in Mercure de France, describing naturism as practised in Germany. Reading about developments in Germany leads Harold Clare Booth to seek information from the German Freya Bund with thoughts of a similar organisation in Britain. Encouragement is given by an article by Bernarr Macfadden, an American, published two years later in Physical Culture, which advocates nudity for children as part of purity in the home.

1914 Booth has a long article on the nude culture movement published in the same magazine. Further letters and articles follow in 1914 and 1915, but the war prevents immediate result.

1921 Revival of public interest in the subject of naturism is slow after the war, but articles begin to appear, written by Dr. Caleb Williams Saleeby and others, in The New Statesman and Health and Efficiency.

1922 Harold Clare Booth, Mark Harold Sorensen and Rex Wellbye found the English Gymnosophist Society for those, mainly men, interested in nude life culture. It meets at the Minerva Cafe in High Holborn. Later renamed the New Gymnosophy Society. By 1926 it meets in Cheapside, London, circulating its own journal and arranging public lectures advocating nudism.

1924 May The Sunlight League, founded by Dr. Saleeby, with its own journal, Sunlight, advocates sunbathing. Saleeby has since 1921 been publishing articles in The New Statesman about the benefits of sunlight.

1924 The Moonella Group, formed from members of the New Gymnosophy Society, begins to use land, which they call The Camp, at Wickford, Essex. This is the first club to exist in Britain. They have strict rules and members have to use club names, Moonella being the club name of the landowner. The club closes in 1926 because of building on adjacent land.

1925 Captain Harold Hubert Vincent, cashiered from the army in 1918, founds the Sun Ray Club, publicly preaches nudism and proposes a march through Hyde Park by 200 naked men and women. He acquires several convictions for soliciting donations, using insulting words etc.

1926 At the end of 1926 a site, found by Booth, is, with the help of a Derbyshire benefactor, bought at Bricket Wood in Hertfordshire and opened for use in May 1927. There are nine original members drawn from the Moonella Group and the site is at first also called The Camp. By 1931 it has developed into a club, named Fouracres, with an elected committee.

1927 The Sun Bathing Society is founded by Barford, who also publishes Sun Bathing Review, to promote the practice of active sun and air bathing among families and young children, using the new scanty bathing costumes. The summer heatwave in 1928 encourages public tolerance. He wins influential support and organises regular meetings at Sun Lodge in Upper Norwood, South London. The five annual conferences of the Society receive favourable publicity. For several years the Sun Bathing Society organises successful lectures and meetings in London in the winter, Barford gives opportunities for those who wish to progress from bathing costumes to nudity and many do so.

1927 An English translation of Suren's Man and Sunlight is published with the approval of Dean Inge, Dean of St. Paul's, who declares that "The new freedom of the body which is sweeping Europe is a splendid omen of increasing health".

1928 Charles & Dorothy Macaskie purchase 12 acres of land in Bricket Wood, which they call Spielplatz, They go to live there the next year and by 1930 are inviting friends to join them.

1930 The owner of land at a reservoir near the Welsh Harp in Hendon, Middlesex, where there has since 1921 been limited sunbathing, modelled on practice in Germany and Switzerland, allows young unemployed people to use shacks on his property for sunbathing. Press publicity attracts others to join them but also stirs up public opposition. In June about 250 sunbathers, some of them nude, are mobbed by a crowd of 200 people who invade the private land. Some at least of the 250 are members of Vincent's Sun Ray Club. Both police and press give some support to the sunbathers, and more people join the group as a result.

1930 Sep The Sun Ray Club and New Health Society is formed, becoming in 1931 the National Sun and Air Association. It immediately begins a national advertising campaign, as well as running a popular gymnasium at Westbourne Grove, and later an indoor club at Cricklewood, both in London. It ceases to meet about 1940.

1930 Booth finds a site at Sunhill near Sidcup in Kent, and this becomes the Arcadians Club which continues until at least 1945.

1931 Among the Nudists by an American couple, Frances & Mason Merrill published in London. It gives a full and fair account of nudism at that time, though England naturally receives little attention. It is the first of several books of varying worth on nudism, published in the 1930s.

1931 The Yew Tree Club is opened, under the auspices of the Sunbathing Society, at Croydon, Surrey. Mornings are at first devoted to physical culture and nudity is allowed on part of the site in the afternoon, but the club gradually becomes completely nudist.

1931-32 Health & Efficiency, originally a health and fitness magazine, becomes entirely nudist.

1932 Mar A letter is published in The Times, in support of Barford's Sun Bathing Society, demanding facilities for air bathing on decent and wholesome lines. Signatories include C.E.M.Joad, George Bernard Shaw, Laurence Housman, Julian Huxley, Vera Britain and Beverley Nichols amongst other well-known names of the period.

1933 Woodside in the Isle of Wight opens as a naturist holiday resort. Barford founds Sun Bathing Review, which he edits until 1938, It continues publication until 1959.

1934 The Lotus League owned by Mrs. Denise Bedingfield, operates in Finchley until 1939. Before moving to Finchley it was called the League of Light.

1936 The Sun Bathing Society is so successful that, when 21 clubs exist, Barford disbands it, believing that it has to a great extent fulfilled its purpose. If the Society had continued its propaganda would public attitudes have been more favourable than they have been and would naturism in Britain have won a standing similar to that enjoyed in France and Germany?

1937 Membership of the National Sun & Air Association is 2,350, and it has an office in London with a secretary and a typist. Many clubs founded under its inspiration show their origin by the words "Sun and Air" in their names.

1943 Feb The British Sun Bathing Society is formed, on the initiative of the Arcadians Club (of Sunhill), with both club and individual (associate) members. The first AGM is held that October, when 23 clubs are members. By the next AGM there are 615 associate members.

1949 Sheplegh Court in Devon opens as a naturist hotel. It finally closes about 1987.

1951 Festival of Naturism held at North Kent Sun Club, coinciding with the Festival of Britain

1951 Sep BSBA organise an international conference in London, attended by worldwide naturist leaders. A further conference agreed to be held in Switzerland in 1952, so leading to the formation of the International Naturist Federation.

1953 Oct Ten clubs not affiliated to BSBA hold a Conference of Sun Clubs at the Cora Hotel in London.

1954 Apr The Federation of British Sun Clubs is inaugurated by thirteen clubs at a meeting at the Kenilworth Hotel.

1957 Garden of Eden, a film made in association with the American Sunbathing Association in 1955, released in Britain. According to the National Film Bulletin it shows disarming incompetence, astonishing amateurishness and oozes sweetness and light.

1958 Aug The sixth INF Congress held in the grounds of Woburn Abbey, the Duke of Bedford's house.

1958 Nudist Paradise is the first British film to be generally released. Filmed at Spielplatz and Woburn, the Duke of Bedford provides the prologue. The National Film Bulletin says it is inept, the editing incompetent and its motives rather suspect.

1960 Travelling Light, the first genuine British naturist film, is released. It is produced by Michael Keatering [pseudonym of Craven Walker].

1961 BSBA Annual Conference agrees that the term nudist is inappropriate and should be discarded in favour of naturist.

1962 Feb BSBA and FBSC each agree to make arrangements for the union of their organisations as a club controlled organisation, to take effect in 1964.

1964 May Member clubs of both organisations, meeting at the Royal Hotel, London, agree to their union on 1st July under the name of Central Council for British Naturism. 72 clubs are members by the time of the AGM in September.

1965 Adventurers Sun Club is the first to obtain permission from a local authority to hire a public bath, at Maidstone, Kent, for naturist use.

1970 Aug The 12th INF Congress held at North Kent Sun Club

1978 Hastings Borough Council approve the first naturist beach in Britain, at Fairlight Cove. The 16th INF Congress held at South Hants Sun Club

1979 Jan "Let's Go Naked" an unbiased and well researched programme about naturism at home and abroad shown on BBC1 Irvine (soon lost) and Stevenston in Ayrshire, Cleat's Shore on the Isle of Arran, Corton Beach near Lowestoft, Swalecliffe near Whitstable and Leysdown in the Isle of Sheppey are also approved as naturist beaches.

1980 Apr A beach on Brighton front opened for naturist use without ceremony, having been approved by Brighton Council the year before. On the same day Fraisthorpe near Bridlington is opened for naturists.

1982 Adam Clapham and Robin Constable write As Nature Intended, following an unbiased programme on naturism on BBC TV.

1995 CCBN employs a Parliamentary lobbyist.

1998 The AGM of CCBN agrees by a large majority that national officers are to be elected by popular vote of all members. Extended in 1999 to election of Regional Councillors.

1999 Naturist relay team swims the Channel. Similar events in later years around the Isle of Wight and along Loch Ness.

2000 Morfa Dyffryn near Barmouth approved as a naturist beach - the first in Wales.

2002 Persil request CCBN sponsorship for their product

2003 Apr Chairman of CCBN gives evidence to the Home Affairs Committee of the House of Commons in connection with the Sexual Offences Bill.

2004 CCBN employs a Commercial Manager, and then an Advertising Manager.

2005 Bare Britain, describing beaches, clubs and venues, published by Lifestyle Press Ltd..in association with CCBN. Open naturist day held at Abbey House Gardens, Malmesbury (since repeated more than once each year). A national charity is recommended for support by members (since repeated each year)

2006 Naturist evening at York Maize Maze and garden party at Castle Howard. Alton Towers organises a naturist weekend. (These events are repeated in subsequent years.)

2007 Eden Project in Cornwall hosts a naturist evening, organised by Red Letter Days, a commercial company. CCBN organises an accompanying "Nudefest" weekend at a nearby campsite. (Nudefest is repeated in following years.)

2008 Naturist story lines appear in some TV series and some TV presenters show support for naturism.

2009 Central Council for British Naturism (CCBN) changes its name to British Naturism (BN).

2010 British Naturism is formed as a company limited by guarantee to take the place of the association founded in 1964. It remains a members' organisation.

With apologies for the inevitable errors and omissions.]]> Mon, 19 Dec 2011 14:50:44 +0000 76dc611d6ebaafc66cc0879c71b5db5c A History of Naturism http://www.bn.org.uk/articles.php/_/information/about-naturism/history-of-naturism/a-history-of-naturism-r27 The Moonella Group

The first club with any kind of established home was founded near Wickford in Essex in the late summer of 1924. The club adopted the name of the Moonella Group from the club name of the owner of the ground, and called its site The Camp. Moonella, who was still living in 1965 but whose identity remains to be discovered, had inherited a house and land, heavily mortgaged, and in 1923 made it available to certain members of the New Gymnosophy Society.

The Society had been founded a few years before by H.C. Booth, M.H. Sorensen and Rex Wellbye under the name of the English Gymnosophical Society. It met for discussions at the Minerva Cafe at 144 High Holborn in London, the headquarters of the Women's Freedom League.

Those who were permitted to join the Moonella Group were carefully selected, and the club was run by an "aristocracy" of the original members, all of whom had club names, Chong and Lorelli (Mark Harold Sorensen and his wife Helen Morley Sorensen), Flang or fflang (Harold Clare Booth), Gart, Moonella, Thwang (Roland Berrill), Tob (Mr. L.B.) and Zex (Rex Wellbye).

Some of the group's rules are familiar in later naturist clubs, for example that the identity of members must not be revealed to others, that photographs and sketches must not be made without the approval of the committee and the subject, and that the location of the club site must not be revealed to others. In other ways the example of this club has not been so closely followed. The Committee had virtually all power in its hands and was self perpetuating. A member was known, for example, as The Noble Flang or the Gracious Moonella. They were even instructed how to write to one another, beginning "To the Noble Chong, greeting" and ending with a wish without verb or subject, for example "Blue Sky", followed by the signature. The wearing of sandals and headbands of brilliant colours was encouraged, provided that were in Greek rather than oriental style. Jewellery was discouraged. Care had to be taken to avoid complimenting visitors and members upon their beauty. The club kept an attendance book, which in 1965 was still in the possession of Mark Sorensen. He died in 1974 - where is it now?

Before the end of the 1925 season the Moonella Group had to close. There is mention of building on adjacent land making it impossible to use the grounds. The members were without a site until in May 1927 Fouracres at Bricket Wood near St. Albans, which was at first also called "The Camp", was acquired in its place, with the help of a Derbyshire benefactor - but that is another story.

Harold Booth died in 1943, Rex Wellbye in 1963. Could any members of the Moonella Group still be living?

How the split came to pass

The British Sun Bathing Society had been formed in February 1943, a surprising initiative in the dark days of the war. It took the place of the National Sun and Air Society, founded in 1930, which had been highly successful in the 1930s, but ceased to meet or exist about 1940. BSBA was a club organisation, but from the beginning it also enrolled associate members, soon renamed subscribers and then registered subscribers. Naturists are individualistic people and, as every other naturist organisation, BSBA suffered internal dissension. Problems came to a head in 1953. The previous AGM had agreed to employ Arthur Hodgson as full-time paid General Secretary at ?300 p.a. At the September 1953 AGM it was agreed to reorganise the registered subscriber section with limited voting rights and to appoint a small committee to revise the constitution, which was long out of date. An additional factor was that Frank Mitchell of Sheplegh Court condemned BSBA as a nudist organisation, demanding that the nudist President be dismissed and that it should in future use only the term "naturist".

Against this background, in January 1953 a meeting of clubs that were not members of BSBA was called by the North Kent Sun Club at the Bonnington Hotel. Fifteen clubs attended, but the meeting was generally inconclusive. In October 1953, under the sponsorship of David Johnson, Editor of H.& E., an informal meeting of non-affiliated clubs, under the title Conference of Sun Clubs, was called at the Cora Hotel in London. The meeting was convened by Jim Butterfield of Diogenes, Andy Jepsen of the Kent Regional Sunbathing Association and Rod Martin of Sunfolk, and was chaired by Wallace Arter. Ten clubs attended. This led the following March to the formulation of a new constitution, which the BSBA committee revising the constitution refused to adopt. BSBA then, in its turn, invited discussion of their draft revised constitution, which was also refused. The emotions of the time are well represented in a report published in The Grove, the North Kent Sun Club newsletter in April 1953, which stated that "certain BSBA officers are so far out of sympathy with the aims and object and constitution of the Association ... that they are actively working to somersault BSBA into an organisation of individuals." The same article objected that BSBA had a full-time paid Secretary. North Kent also asked the Administration Committee of BSBA to call a special general meeting "with an open agenda", a motion that was rejected.

The Federation of British Sun Clubs was accordingly inaugurated at a meeting at the Kenilworth Hotel on 25th April 1954, again under the chairmanship of Wallace Arter. After much discussion a constitution was adopted. Rod Martin was reluctantly elected as Chairman, Dave Jenkinson of North Kent as Secretary and John Sherwood of Nottingham as Treasurer. Initial membership was the thirteen clubs which attended the meeting. Three others sent apologies and another four attended as observers.

The Path to Unity

It was not long before the two organisations realised that they were duplicating some of one another's work and voices were raised urging cooperation. At the 1959 AGM of FBSC Surrey Downs urged better relations with BSBA and the Secretary was instructed to make enquiries from BSBA. The Vice-Chairman, Frank Mitchell, queried the possibility of amalgamation, but his seemed to be a lone voice. In January 1960 a slight improvement in relations was reported, but the Chairman advised that it must not be rushed. By the 1960 AGM a meeting had been held between representatives of the two organisations, but this was only an exploratory meeting to discover what differences existed and to put them forward for further consideration. No positive result was forthcoming. Kent Region protested against any negotiation with the BSBA if Hugh Shayler was representing them. The Secretary agreed to suggest that BSBA should make changes in their delegation. Springwood advised that negotiations should be only with the Clubs Section of BSBA. At the same time BSBA agreed to endorse the action of its officers in opening discussions with FBSC and hoped that further discussions would take place. The BSBA General Secretary, Arthur Hodgson, reported to the annual conference that BSBA had been prepared to meet the Federation, but it was the latter who had not yet been able to offer a date to meet their own convenience. He regretted that FBSC had broken away and would welcome any move that would bring them back within BSBA ranks.

In 1961 the BSBA annual conference unanimously approved a resolution, originated by the Sunlanders Youth Group, deploring the continued unsatisfactory relationship between BSBA and FBSC and instructing the Central Committee to pursue energetically all practicable steps to solve outstanding difficulties. At the AGM Arthur Hodgson regretted that negotiations with FBSC about closer cooperation had not yet made any progress, though there had been some collaboration at both national and local levels.

So far thoughts on both sides had been simply to improve relations and to eliminate overlapping work. In 1961, however, the FBSC AGM resolved to invite the BSBA Clubs Section to merge with it under a mutually agreed constitution. Muriel Clark, President of BSBA, said at the 1961 AGM that she wished to see an understanding reached and intended to do her best to achieve it. Dorothy Thornton welcomed the change of climate at FBSC resulting from a change of officers, since there was now a basis for cooperation and officials on both sides were prepared to listen to each other. She referred presumably to the election in 1960 of Jack Watkins as Chairman of FBSC in place of Ted Coleman. Unfortunately Muriel Clark died in December, being succeeded by Dorothy Thornton. In February 1962 the BSBA Cental Committee were told that discussions had commenced between Headquarters representatives of FBSC and BSBA, that the position had been carefully examined and arrangements made for a further meeting. The Federation is recorded as complaining that Denys Rendell was a representative of BSBA in the discussions. As with Hugh Shayler no reason for the objection is stated. About the same time Jack Watkins told the FBSC Central Council that exploratory meetings had been held with BSBA officers and that some headway had been made. It was agreed to invite Dorothy Thornton, Arthur Hodgson and John Rowlinson, the Editor of Verity, to the FBSC AGM.

A breakthrough happened on 19 August 1962 at a meeting of the Negotiating Committee when Jack Watkins reported a proposal by an unnamed "staunch supporter of BSBA" that a recommendation should be made to the Annual Conferences of both organisations that arrangements should be undertaken for the union of the BSBA and the FBSC as a club controlled organisation, that the effective date of the union should be no later than 1964 when a meeting of club delegates of all known approved sun clubs should be held to determine its constitution and elect its first officers. Preliminary arrangements were to be discussed between the officers of the organisations during 1963. This resolution was unanimously approved at both the FBSC AGM and the BSBA AGM in September 1962.

The Unity Committee first met on 18th November. Initial membership of nine from each side was promptly reduced to four. By the fourth meeting in June 1963 a draft constitution had been produced. Two further meetings followed in 1964, followed by the formal unity meeting of all member clubs of both organisations, held at the Royal Hotel, Woburn Place, London, on Sunday May 10th. Erik Holm, President of the INF, attended as guest of honour. The constitution was accepted unanimously by both sets of member clubs and it was agreed that vesting day would be 1st July 1964, the first AGM being held on 13th September at East Midlands. The principal officers of each organisation were assigned places in the new CCBN, Frank Mitchell (FBSC) being President, Dorothy Thornton (BSBA) Vice-President, Jack Watkins (FBSC) Chairman, and Keith Pickering (BSBA) Vice-Chairman. Roy Lambert (FBSC) became General Secretary, George Hulm (BSBA) Treasurer and Peter Fallows (FBSC) Editor.

The Executive Council of the new organisation met prematurely at Diogenes on 14th June (since CCBN did not yet exist) and again on the eve of the AGM. Membership of the Supporters Section Committee was agreed. Roy Lambert as Secretary would move to a caravan in the grounds of North Kent and a portable office building would be bought for his use. Sport and Sunshine, the FBSC magazine, became the model for the new magazine, to be called British Naturism, a title in which BSBA representatives were not consulted. Neville Payne was coopted to the Central Council as News Secretary and George Carter as Assistant Secretary. Supporter Section fees were to be 25s a year for married couples, 20s for single persons. At the first AGM the remaining officers were elected - Ron Cox, Overseas, Bob Turnbull, PRO, and Douglas Gibson, Research & Liaison. Member clubs were to pay 1s 6d per head for adult membership.

At the time of unity there were 23 clubs members of BSBA, 25 members of FBSC and 15 members of both. In addition three "recognised" clubs and six others are listed. Fifty clubs were represented at the Unity meeting. By September the number had already risen to 72, plus two affiliated societies. New found unity was proving popular.

The Fellowship of the Naked Trust

What was probably the earliest naturist club existed in 1891, not in this country, France or Germany, but in British India. It is described in a series of letters sent by Charles Edward Gordon Crawford, a member of the Bombay Civil Service, working at Thana, to Edward Carpenter, a well-known writer on social subjects, who had rejected Victorian conventions.

The club required members to go stark naked wherever suitable and to encourage others to do the same. It also required them to be plainspoken when desirable on sexual and other subjects usually tabooed, and to discourage unnecessary reticence about such subjects in others. The motto of the club was Vincat Natura (Let Nature Win) and the club badge consisted of these words and the initials of the club. There were no officers, though there could be a Secretary and a Chairman for the day. Anyone could be admitted who was vouched for by two members and was willing to obey the rules. At meetings all must be stark naked except for rings, eyeglasses and false teeth! Women must wear their hair loose without ribbons, combs or hairpins and they must not wear rouge or powder. Sectarian and political discussion was forbidden. Anyone guilty of indecency was subject to suspension or expulsion. Acts of indecency were defined as wearing clothes at a meeting, gestures or acts of personal contact giving offence to the opposite sex, indecent assault at or following a meeting, even with the consent of the other party, and consenting to indecent assault. The mode of handshake on greeting was even prescribed. Women who did not feel able to attend meetings could be Outside Members, conforming to all the rules and wearing the badge. No man could be an Outside Member. Crawford asked for his name to be treated confidentially since "for personal reasons it would be inconvenient for it to be associated with these views - so easily misrepresented - by those who are opposed to them." (Have we ever heard similar fears expressed nowadays?)

Such a constitution would surely have qualified the club for election to CCBN provided the Overseas Region was prepared to recommend it! It is surprising, however, that this carefully organised club turns out to have consisted of only three persons, Crawford, a widower since November 1886, a District and Sessions Judge, and Andrew Calderwood and his brother, Kellogg Calderwood, sons of a missionary.

Apparently Carpenter expressed sympathy with their ideals, for two months later Crawford writes again, with a statement of motives, now added to the rules. The motives are in fact reasons for nakedness. Physically, given a suitable temperature, it is good for the body to be exposed to the air and no costume has been invented equal in comfort to perfect nakedness; morally, because false shame of our own bodies and morbid curiosity as to those of the opposite sex, which result from always wearing clothes, are the chief sources of impurity; and aesthetically, because the human body is God's noblest work, and it is good for everyone to gaze on such beauty freely.

Crawford had always had a passion for nakedness, but had found no one of similar mind until he met the Calderwood brothers in November 1890. His ideal was a state of society in which clothes would be worn or not as convenient "without reference to the conventionalities which at present rule the roost". They knew one young lady who was in sympathy, but was not prepared to be even an outside member on account of what people would think. He was writing an essay, which unfortunately does not survive, dealing pretty fully with F.N.T. ideals.

In a later letter he welcomed the suggestion that women should form branches of their own, a thing he had always wanted, though Calderwood did not want to encourage timidity too much. The last letter, in June 1892, reveals that Crawford was planning to marry again. He had not yet spoken of the F.N.T. to the lady, though she fully shared his "democratic impulses". Andrew Calderwood was planning to make his future in British Columbia. Carpenter had written to him about people in Vienna and Munich who in some way shared Crawford's ideas, and he enquires whether "they go as far as we do in our particular direction". (Nothing has so far been discovered about these people.

Crawford did indeed marry again, in August 1892, to Florence Ethel Willis, but died in May 1894. His son, by his first marriage, Osbert Guy Stanhope Crawford, became a prominent archaeologist and author, but probably knew nothing of his father's club in India.]]> Mon, 19 Dec 2011 14:46:02 +0000 ec5decca5ed3d6b8079e2e7e7bacc9f2 Diving In by Matt http://www.bn.org.uk/articles.php/_/information/about-naturism/first-time-experiences/diving-in-by-matt-r26
Other than people finding out, none of these things happened. As soon as the evening was over I knew that it didn't matter who knew or what they thought. From 16-year-old girls to 60-year-old men and everything in between, people were sharing stories, experiences and just having fun. There was no sense of being judged and no means by which to judge others. Looking at a person in the street, you have all sorts of ideas about them before you get anywhere near a conversation. You look at their clothes, their hair, their shoes. We are all guilty of looking at people and slotting them into little boxes without a thought about the person underneath the shell. Walking into the pool on Friday night there was no way to make these judgments. Everyone was a blank canvas of skin and wet, flattened hair, and it meant that I spoke to people that I never would have done outside the club and would have been much the poorer for it.

In the first paragraph I used the word ‘club’. This is one of the most illuminating words that I can think of to describe naturism. As well as it literally being a club, there is a real sense of community. There were people there from other groups as well as regulars to the Chepstow Fridays. One of the topics of conversation that kept coming up was all the events that people had been to or had planned. I find it truly inspirational that there are people out there who have interests outside the mainstream, but are willing to get together and do it anyway. It is also by no means a closed society. I knew nobody there before that night, and by the end I felt perfectly comfortable to sit and talk with anyone.

As the night drew to a close, I happened to be quicker than most getting dressed to join the real world. Standing there in my jeans and jacket, looking at the room of people still towelling off, I felt more self-conscious than I had all night. Stepping back into the Welsh drizzle and back to the car, I was smiling. Not because I felt embarrassed or cheap, like I was expecting to, but because I felt free. Free to do what I wanted and just be myself, without having to answer to anybody else’s ideas of what was and wasn't 'acceptable'.]]> Mon, 19 Dec 2011 14:34:17 +0000 069059b7ef840f0c74a814ec9237b6ec A new and a-maze-ing experience by Mike http://www.bn.org.uk/articles.php/_/information/about-naturism/first-time-experiences/a-new-and-a-maze-ing-experience-by-mike-r25
We’d come, Beth and I, to our first naturist event, having seen an advert for the York Maize Maze, which listed amongst the events the Naked Maze Night, and having been intrigued did a little research to discover that it actually meant what it said. We discussed the idea of going, neither of us shy of nudity, and both of us always having been idly interested in the idea of naturism and we decided it would be an opportunity too good to miss for our first try at this unusual activity.

This gave us four days to contemplate what it was we were intending to do, and those four days were full of excited conversations about what it would be like and about our concerns over the event. We had no experience or knowledge to guide us, and our greatest fears were centred on our doing something which, out of our ignorance, would offend others or embarrass ourselves.

I had a conversation, by e-mail, with BN, which was wonderfully reassuring, and patient with my constant questioning, expressing fears about body image, potential embarrassment, photography and so on. My feelings were now very positive, and made me feel that we would be amongst a very warm and welcoming group of people on Saturday.

I also spent these four days on-line, looking at naturist resources to learn what I could about etiquette so as to minimise the risk of doing something inappropriate. Happily what I discovered what all pretty much common sense, except the need to take a towel to sit on. Obvious perhaps, when you think about it, but I don’t think it would have occurred to us otherwise.

The build up on Saturday involved planning when we would go, what we would need to take, and what we would do about food, and unsure about whether there would be food available to purchase at the maze we took a trip out to buy some picnic type food for dinner and insect repellent - I am much beloved by biting insects.

As we approached the Maze, driving ever more slowly the closer we approached, we began assessing the weather, and wondering if it was going to rain, and how perhaps that would mean we would have to abort the expedition.

We were both of us growing more nervous as we approached the entrance to the car-park, and only my insistence on not giving in to fear kept me going.

We imagined that we would park, enter the site, and undress in a tent or other facility, and then exit these safe confines for the uncertain naked world outside, and as we imagined this process, and this moment, crossing the threshold between the two, the line that demarcates normality and the strangeness of public nakedness we were about to cross our fear and anxiety grew.

As we drove into the car park we saw people getting undressed at their cars, and many others already naked; walking around, chatting, waving to friends, and most of our anxieties drifted away. We parked, got out of the car, and without pause or ceremony we just stripped off and made our way to the entrance, completely forgetting to apply the insect repellent...

Perhaps the most surprising thing for me was that with the shedding of my clothes, I shed all my fears and anxieties, and it happened in just a moment, that moment. Anxious, pants off, not anxious any more. What a strange thing. Almost as if it was the clothes themselves which had some power over me and through some insidious influence were trying to prevent me from disrobing, and then, free from their influence I was liberated as humans must have been across the world before clothes were invented.

We queued briefly to enter with other naked people, which seemed perfectly normal, we paid members of staff at the maze (many of whom were about the site) who were fully clothed, which seemed normal, and we strolled about briefly getting our bearings. The sight of so many naked people, probably more than I have seen in my life, was not in the least strange or surprising; it seemed perfectly normal, as though an ancient race memory was awakened in me, and I knew somehow, deep down, that is this how we were meant to be.

We spent the early part of the evening wandering the maze, and for most of the time completely forgot we were naked. There were moment of realisation, as suddenly it dawned on me that I was naked, but as I said right at the beginning this was never shocking, but rather, joyous. People we met were friendly and chatty, and the maze provided a convenient focus for conversation. The only problem we had was a farmer in a nearby field harvesting his wheat (I think) and throwing up a lot of dust, this meant that the air was full of choking debris at that end of the maze.

Walking around naked felt not only perfectly natural, and I never felt self-conscious even though I was much more aware of my own body than normal. The breeze on bare skin was refreshing and invigorating. I’m not a religious person at all, but the experience was oddly spiritual and healing, as though some of the ravages of age were being undone, perhaps it was a return to a more innocent age, when as a child I ran about naked in the garden, or with friends playing in the woods.

We completed the maze, and Beth did heroically, being 7 ½ months pregnant and growing more tired by the minute, so we headed out and found a place to sit and eat our picnic. This gave us pause to reflect and discuss our experience.

There were many things which had surprised us during this walk around the maze, but for me, probably the most surprising was how non-sexual it was. BN had told me that the experience is non-sexual, and I had read this many times while doing my research in the days before the event, and although I was happy to accept the wisdom of those experienced in the field I still had a small doubt: “How can an activity that involves everyone being naked be so completely non-sexual?” After all we live in a culture where nudity is rarely acceptable, and the context in which it is most acceptable is a sexual one, added to which is always the concern that even if it is not sexual for you, maybe it will be for me. I shouldn’t have worried though, the wise were.. well wise, and it was only my ignorance that maintained this doubt. Despite being naked, amongst many other naked people, of both genders, of all ages , shapes and sizes, the experience remained non-sexual, and I can honestly say that sexual thoughts were completely absent from my mind the entire time.

Probably the next most surprising thing was my aesthetic reaction. I am used to seeing classical and renaissance sculptures of nudes, but they tend to be depictions of beautiful bodies, be it Donatello, Michelangelo, Giambologna, Cellini, or others, and I was concerned that in all likelihood there would be a cross section of society present which would include children, old people, fat people, thin people, beautiful people, ugly people and so on, and that I would find being exposed to this naked cross section aesthetically challenging, that I would appreciate the beauty where I found it, but be disturbed and repelled by the ugliness where that resided, but this was also not the case.

What I learned during this adventure was that the human body is beautiful in all its forms, whether young or old, beautiful or ugly in the conventional sense, and despite my previous qualms I encountered no ugliness, and found only beauty. I don’t want to give the impression that I was wandering around assessing people critically, I certainly wasn’t; aesthetic reactions are, for the most part, emotional rather than intellectual, and they are present unconsciously without need for intent.

Another oddity was my hands; I didn’t know where to put them. I had no pockets to put them in, no belt to hook my thumbs in, and not liking to fold my arms across my chest I often felt unsure what to do with them. This wasn’t so much a problem when walking, but when stopped, reading the clues in the maze, or chatting to people they felt awkward. Something you get used to I suppose.

While reflecting on these things we sat and watched people coming and going, and listened to the band, but as Beth was growing uncomfortable (not with the nudity but with the physical conditions because of her pregnancy) we decided to start heading home.

We stopped in on the pigs, who looked as content as any creatures can be and clearly natural naturists, before making our way to the shop where we bought some postcards and sweet corn (organically grown in the maze). Finally we stopped at the BN stall where we had a very pleasant conversation with Pat Thompson, of BN, who made us feel very welcome, and gave us introductory packs for BN.

And then it was all over, back at the car we dressed, rather reluctantly, and headed for home, discussing our experiences on the way. I can happily report though that we were not punished for our forgetfulness regarding the insect repellent, and as far as I am aware neither of us was bitten. The only downside of the whole experience is that I now resent wearing clothes and can’t wait to take them off again.

The question now is “What’s next?” We both enjoyed the experience, and although we expected that we would, we had enjoyed it more than we had imagined. The first thing is to find a nearby club where we could explore this activity a little more, and get to know some people who have been involved for a while from whom we can get advice and assistance. This is complicated a little by Beth’s pregnancy, she will be giving birth in a few weeks and so that limits what we will be able to do for a while, and I hope this doesn’t cause us to lose our impetus. I think we’ll look at clubs near York, where we live, and see what the membership requirements are, and how we might go about applying.

I would recommend this activity to anyone, and if you are thinking about giving it a go please do. You’ll likely find that all the worries and concerns are phantoms, soon exorcised when you cross that threshold for the first time]]> Mon, 19 Dec 2011 14:33:18 +0000 3def184ad8f4755ff269862ea77393dd A new and a-maze-ing experience by Beth http://www.bn.org.uk/articles.php/_/information/about-naturism/first-time-experiences/a-new-and-a-maze-ing-experience-by-beth-r24
I had seen an advert for the maze, which mentioned some special events, including “Naked Maze Night”. This intrigued me, so not quite believing that this could be what it seemed to be, investigated further. It turned out that this was indeed a naturist event, and one that was open to people like me who had never done this before.

Having discussed this with my husband and a friend we decided that this was something we wanted to try. None of us are shy and we all believe that the human body is a natural thing, not something disgusting to be hidden away.

Mike and I discussed this lots in the days running up to the event (we only found out about it on the Tuesday before) and lots of questions and issues occurred to us, from simple things such as “can we wear shoes?” to more complicated issues such as “what happens if we meet someone we know?”.

On Saturday the weather looked uncertain and rain was forecast for the evening. We had a perfect excuse not to go; after all who wants to trudge around a maze in the rain? Since this was our first time though neither of us felt we should give up so easily. Accordingly we made our way to the maze feeling apprehensive but excited.

Driving into the car-park was odd because there were lots of naked people walking around. I had expected, naively, that we would go into the event and then go off somewhere to get undressed, probably separately from Mike. I think that this was because I had equated this to going swimming, as the most naked thing that I had done before.

We parked and after one last look at each other to see if we were going to back out of this we got out of the car. We got undressed without ceremony, having noted that there were people wearing shoes and deciding to do likewise, and made our way to the entrance. I found that this had made getting undressed much easier, as we were still together and also protected by the car. Around us people were greeting friends and catching up on news and it seemed unremarkable that they were all naked.

Neither of us had been to the maze before, so having paid our entrance fee and gone into the site we paused to gather our bearings. The maze stretched out below us with numbers marking locations to be visited and towers to climb to help get your bearings. Near the entrance were various other activities that were available, from giant football to animals to stroke.

Walking around all of this were people in varying stages of undress, mostly naked but with a few still partly or fully clothed. The sight was quite natural and most of my doubts had disappeared along with my clothes.

There was quite a sense of camaraderie as we and various other groups who had entered at a similar time crossed paths again and again, stopping every so often to compare notes on where to go next. Another set of concerns had been that I would be unable to stop staring at people and that they would stare at me. I found that neither were a problem as we chatted away quite normally. We looked at each other, of course, as would be normal when meeting people clothed, but there was no sense of being ogled.

One thing that I did find disconcerting as we wandered round was of being very aware of my bottom. I had thought that it would be my breasts, tummy (I was then 7½ months pregnant) or genitals that would concern me, but at no point were any of these an issue, my bottom on the other hand dominated my thoughts for quite a while. I’m still not sure why this was the case, but I think it may be because it is a part of myself that I don’t get to see and so don’t really know how it looks and having it exposed for the first time made me wonder what people were thinking.

Another concern that I had was about sexual feelings. This turned out to be another area where I had worried needlessly. Although surrounded by naked people it was not an erotic experience in any way. Those around me were beautiful in many ways but I felt no arousal being around them. I also felt no sexual stimulation from my own nudity. There were new experiences as the sun and breeze touched newly exposed areas but, although pleasant, this was not sexual in any way.

We made it round the maze and found somewhere to sit and eat our picnic. By this point we both felt completely relaxed about the experience and decided that this was definitely something we wanted to do again. After listening to the band, who like us were first-time nudists, for a little while we made our way to the British Naturism stand to look for more information. Taking an application form and information pack away with us we made our way back to the car, got dressed and left.

I spoke to my husband about the experience and, as I said to him, I think it can be summed up as “bizarrely normal”.]]> Mon, 19 Dec 2011 14:31:21 +0000 c8ffe9a587b126f152ed3d89a146b445 A Whole New World by Jenny http://www.bn.org.uk/articles.php/_/information/about-naturism/first-time-experiences/a-whole-new-world-by-jenny-r23
On an evening at the pub with Debbie, a close friend I have known since school, I brought up the subject of going on a naturist holiday. I wasn’t nervous talking to Debbie about this as we talk about anything. Debbie went quiet for a bit and then said she had something to tell me. She told me she was a naturist and had been all her life. Her family are naturists, she met her boyfriend through naturism and had only ever been on one or two ‘textile’ holidays, one of which was with me.

Debbie had been advised by her family to keep her lifestyle as a naturist secret because of the many misconceptions and prejudices, which, to a certain extent I can now understand. However, I didn’t think any less of her and asked straight away if Martin and myself could go with her to a YBN meet. YBN was a group she had become increasingly involved with and it sounded a lot of fun.

Martin and I are both open-minded people and are willing to try new things so we were keen to experience naturism, if anything, just to say we had tried it. People ask if either of us needed any persuasion but I think if this was the case we wouldn’t have gone through with it, as it is definitely something you have to feel comfortable with. Getting into naturism for me has been made very easy by Debbie and Martin and I understand how hard it could be for someone who wants to experience it but are either approaching it alone or don’t know anyone already involved.

We went to a few non-naturist events with YBN members including a weekend at Butlins and a weekend at a youth hostel in Epping Forest. We met some really friendly people all of whom made us feel very at ease and kept assuring us there was no pressure at all to take our clothes off. Obviously there were hundreds of things we wanted to ask and know about naturism and everyone was very willing to answer them for us as honestly as possible.

The first time I took my clothes off was on a weekend away with YBN when we went to a swim at Waterworld. There were hundreds of people there which made it easier as I was just one in a crowd of people. No one apart from YBN members knew it was my first time so why would they look at me differently to anyone else. I felt fine and then sunbathed with no clothes on the day after at the Telford club. Both times Martin kept making sure I was feeling ok without any clothes on, this reassured me that I was definitely under no pressure from him.

As a young lady with a body nothing like those on the television or in magazines normally I am quite conscious of how I look. However after meeting members of the YBN I felt totally at ease with them and knew no one judged anyone by the way they looked. This is the main aspect of naturism I find so good, everyone is so secure with his or her own self image which in the society we live in is so rarely the case.

I have told my housemates, (all of whom are girls) and my brother about Martin and I being involved with naturism. Their first reaction was to giggle at the thought of us and a load of other people sitting around naked. However they have not been negative in any way, and say if that’s what we want to do it is up to us but it wouldn’t be for them. One of my housemates made a point that she could never do it because she hates her naked body. This really got to me - if she could only bring herself to go to a naturist club she may become aware her looks aren’t everything and gain more confidence with her body and, in turn, herself.

YBN has introduced and allowed Martin and I to participate in many new things. We have been to fancy dress parties, swim nights and areas of the country we have never visited before, learnt to play volleyball and miniten and even camped in the pouring rain which I vowed never to do! We’ve enjoyed the way of life so much and have now also booked that naturist holiday that spurred our interest in the first place!]]> Mon, 19 Dec 2011 14:29:43 +0000 202cb962ac59075b964b07152d234b70 Being Natural by Andrew http://www.bn.org.uk/articles.php/_/information/about-naturism/first-time-experiences/being-natural-by-andrew-r22
Growing up on the edge of the countryside I spent most of my childhood outdoors, up trees and skinny dipping in ponds and streams, were summers really longer then?

Naked kids playing in woods and meadows didn’t raise any eyebrows in that more innocent age. Alas childhood doesn’t last forever and with age came, not shame exactly but a growing awareness of disapproval by mainly ‘Townies’ visiting the countryside in larger numbers. Opportunities to be naked outdoors became less and I resented having to be secretive.

Over the years my naturism, a word I was unaware of till much later, became dormant. I came across H & E Naturist magazine and discovered a whole world of ordinary people doing ordinary things but naked. I became determined to revive my childhood happiness and joined British Naturism and the Singles Outdoor Club.

My first club visit was booked with Wyvern as it is the nearest to my home. As soon as I went through the gates I was made to feel welcome and after a tour of the grounds I stripped off. Naked outdoors! After all these years felt so liberating, so free! This was the real me. There was none of the ‘Single Male problem I had heard about, everybody was so friendly.

Next visit was to Telford and to walk through a lovely wood naked took me back to those early days, Magic! I unfortunately had to cancel several other club visits but managed to visit Wyvern and Telford again. My next outing was to Stoke Waterworld, to be amongst 400 people of all ages all having a great time was amazing. This is what naturism is all about. My last visit of the year was to the BN night at the Ken Marriot leisure centre, not as many people but enjoyable none the less. So ended my first ‘Official’ naturist year. I have started putting dates in my diary for next year with a visit to Abbey house gardens a must do.

Hopefully if I discover a Natural lady to share my rediscovered Naturism life will be, as PA Larkin would say PERFICK!]]> Mon, 19 Dec 2011 14:26:59 +0000 a0a080f42e6f13b3a2df133f073095dd Going Natural in Croatia by Caroline http://www.bn.org.uk/articles.php/_/information/about-naturism/first-time-experiences/going-natural-in-croatia-by-caroline-r21
Then aged 25, to say my knowledge of naturism was scarce would be an understatement, not only had I never heard of 'naturist clubs', but the whole 'being naked' thing was new to me. At some point in my life I must have gained a basic understanding of the term 'naturist' as I did know it referred to people who wondered around with their kit off, but I didn't know anything of the 'naturist ideal' and certainly had never imagined there would be official organisations and movements.

I have always been a person that even in private would never think about wandering round the house naked when alone, or spending any time naked when not showering or changing. Even when on the beach abroad I would think twice about taking my bikini top off as I felt extremely self conscious of my body, it would be safe to say that nine times out of ten I preferred to remain covered and avoid the feeling people were staring at me.

In April we decided it was time to take a break, and little known to me all the holiday locations my fiancé was suggesting stood a good chance of being naturist friendly. We finally decided on Croatia and due to a recommendation from the Internet, we obtained a brochure featuring the Hotel Istra situated on Red Island in Rovinj; it was only at this time that my fiancé finally admitted the motive behind the recommendation - it had it's own naturist island! Instantly I said 'no', I didn't want to be stared at and feel uncomfortable on my long awaited holiday. Feeling utter disappointment at my reaction he began to explain his utter dislike for wearing wet soggy costumes on beaches, and generally wearing clothes when in a hot climate - could I not give it a go? Feeling some sympathy and with the reassurance the main hotel and complex were textile, I agreed.

In late May we arrived in Croatia and having endured the usual jokes about the naturist island from the tour rep we arrived at the dock side to catch our 20 minute boat ride to the island. After a most entertaining boat ride where our luggage nearly began a slow trip to Italy we ferried up to the hotel.

After freshening up we decided to take a tour of the island. With two freshwater pools, table tennis, huge chess, basketball, tennis, spa (which had to be pre-booked) and much more there was plenty to do. Whilst walking around the main island we could see the small naturist island in the distance, connected by a thin concrete causeway the two only lay 1/4-mile apart.

With some encouragement we took to the causeway and went to investigate the naturist island aptly signposted when reaching it's edge. It was at this point I began to feel a bit wary, it was my first time in a naturist environment and I didn't know what to expect; all different questions were going round in my head - what would I feel? How would I react?

To my surprise the island wasn't sandy but rocky, although sometimes this is better as rock doesn't stick to the sun cream! By now it was quite late in the day and it wasn't that busy with naturists. As we were walking round I began to ask myself what the big deal was - normal people on holiday but without clothes. We went back to the hotel and got ready for dinner.

Our first night was spent trying to find the restaurant in order to have our evening meal, after going round in circles a few times we found eventually on the lower floor. The remainder of our evening was spent in the local tavern and having several drinks with fellow Brits in the hotel bar.

Next morning, with gentle persuasion, we made out way to go to the naturist island. Admittedly I was a bit unsure at this point but decided to give it a go, after all we were on holiday and the chance of anybody recognising me was a little remote!!

Once we found our spot my fiancé just stripped off without a word, leaving me just stood there thinking what do I do now? In a slight state of panic my fiancé told me just to ‘do it and not think about it’. As I was starting to feel more out of place with my clothes on than without, I just stripped off and threw my clothes down. To be honest it was all a bit of an anti-climax at this point, and you start to wonder why you were making such a big fuss of it; it felt so natural and normal I just resumed the usual business of applying plenty of sun cream.

Some time later it was time for a visit to the loo and to get some drinks, my fiancé got up (without dressing) with his towel and began walking towards the toilets and island restaurant, it was at this point I began to feel a bit strange as the prospect of 'walking around' openly naked in public was daunting - I hadn't done anything like this before. A few short gulps later I started on my way up to the main path, but as I grew closer I could see more and more people, panicked, and quickly rushed to put my summer dress on which I'd hidden under my arm.

When returning down to the rocks we decided to go for a swim. I must admit I didn't know what to expect swimming naked, I was a bit apprehensive, it sounds stupid but what is anything bit me? Anyway, I bared all, gritted my teeth at the sea temperature and dived in. I can't explain what it feels like to swim naked - you have to try it to understand how great it feels. Of course you have the added bonus of not having to lie in a soggy bikini afterwards trying to get dry!

As the day wore on, the island became more crowded, and more people walked around naked I began to feel more comfortable and it wasn't long before I was openly swimming in the sea and going for short explorations along the rocks without even realising I was naked.

From that day on for the rest of our holiday and despite all the facilities and attractions on the main island, we spent most of our days on the naturist island naked - not fighting for sun loungers but fighting for the best rocks.

From somebody who hadn't been in a naturist environment in her life, to then going on a holiday with a naturist island, I thought I would feel out of place, uncomfortable, and feel that people would be staring at me. However, I felt more out of place with my clothes on and looking back wouldn't have missed the experience and feeling of being naked for anything.

Since returning from Croatia we have become members of YBN (Young British Naturists), our local sun club, and regularly try to go to nearby events; I find the more events I go to the more confident I become. I can't say I wander round naked all the time, certainly in England it's true to say I can take it or leave it - but give me a sunny day, a beach, a sauna, the open sea or even a swimming pool and I'm there and naked.]]> Mon, 19 Dec 2011 14:23:46 +0000 4c56ff4ce4aaf9573aa5dff913df997a First Time Experiences - Introduction http://www.bn.org.uk/articles.php/_/information/about-naturism/first-time-experiences/first-time-experiences-introduction-r20

Roni Fine's beginner’s guide to Naturism

So you’ve decided to become a naturist, now what? Is it that simple - you take your clothes off and that’s it? Well, yes, in principle that’s all you need to do, but there is a whole lot more out there to make naturism an enjoyable way of life.

To be reading this you have obviously got as far as joining BN, or know someone who has, and that is a good way of sourcing information. You can find details of clubs and swims, days out and holiday destinations. Next, you decide to head off to one of these places, but what does this involve? Do you just turn up? What is expected of you? If I had to write a naturist law, I would say, “Do not do anything to upset or offend another person.” But isn’t that a good rule for any community?

There is social etiquette, as in any way of life, but first of all, relax! Naturism is all about the feel good factor, so don’t get stressed out worrying how you are to do it! Just be yourself, only, when it is warm enough, remove your clothes. It is as simple as that - well, okay, there might be a few unwritten rules.

It can seem a little daunting to undress in front of perfect strangers – and if it is your first time, no one is going to force you until you are ready - take your time and feel comfortable. Once you are with a group of naked people, you often feel the odd one out if dressed. Once you strip off, you feel one of the crowd and it feels completely normal! You can generally choose where to undress - not necessarily with an audience! It is best to choose clothing that is easy to deal with, so as not to attract attention to yourself - something simple that pulls off and on with little effort. T-shirt and shorts for the men. A simple sun-dress for the ladies. Women often feel very exposed when first going naked, so it can be a good idea to wear a sarong. You can very simply loosen and drop the sarong as you sit down and tie it again as you get up, without drawing attention to yourself. You will soon be able to get up and walk without even thinking of replacing it.

Don’t worry that you will no longer have the need to buy a new dress – sorry, gentlemen, but when your lady says she has nothing to wear, she isn’t joking! Naturist venues mainly involve evening socials to be clothed events, as handling food or each other on the dance floor is generally considered to be best carried out fully clothed.

You might well be wondering where to look and thinking it will be embarrassing to be close to other people when undressed. Don’t fret - it will be easier than you imagine. There is far more eye contact between naturists and perhaps this concentrates the mind on the conversation, as it is often said how friendly and approachable naturists are. It is obvious etiquette not to stare at people, but as always, “Do unto others as you wish to be done by” stands fast.

The biggest fear of taking part as a naturist is usually the person’s own lack of self-esteem. They think their body is not good enough to be seen. Am I right? Is that what you have been thinking? That it is all right for those who are slim, trim and toned, beautifully tanned and attractive? Well, think again! Naturists are not that small a section of the population, we are a whole cross-section of all shapes and sizes, from all backgrounds and of all ages: a thoroughly mixed bunch of people, so yes, you too can be a naturist! Do not worry that you have a body problem that might stop you from being unclothed, as the naturist community is the one place that is totally accepting and you will not find prejudice or ridicule. I have witnessed this and been told directly by people with artificial limbs, mastectomies, cellulite and scars.

What I hear time and again is that naturism is a great leveller, by which people mean that once the clothing identity is removed, we see the real person and take more notice of their true self - their attitude, their intelligence, their friendliness, their sense of humour and their feelings. Gone is the need to dress to impress and hide behind a false persona.

People often worry about the effect naturism has on children, but it is the children who love to be free of clothing and it is only the grown-ups who finally make them feel ashamed of their bodies. By raising children in a naturist community you will be raising them with fewer hang-ups and greater understanding of their peers.

And no white bits! What could possibly persuade you to be a naturist more than having no white bits?! Bodies look best when they have an all-over colour! But don’t worry if you are a redhead and burn easily - naturism isn’t just about getting a suntan, it is about being natural and feeling good, and you can do that in the shade, too!

Many men are genuinely worried that they might suffer a natural reaction to an attractive female, but they soon appreciate that we are dealing with non-sexual nudity and it is the addition of clothing that adds the sexual connotation. Having said that, it is a good idea to carry a towel. It can be held in front of your body if you feel rather exposed, and it also provides you with something to do with your hands when standing around, initially feeling very much on show. You will soon feel totally at ease and just drape it over your arm or shoulder. Of course, it is a compulsory accessory for every naturist as it is etiquette, for obvious reasons, to sit on your own towel when using communal seating.

Ladies, you might wonder what to do when you have a period and the answer is simple – wear whatever is comfortable for you. Of course, it would soon be noticed in most clubs if you never uncovered, as the majority are not clothes- optional. You do need to have the intention to be naturist whenever possible. This leads to another frequently asked question: “What do you do when it gets cold?” The answer to this is more obvious than people imagine: we get dressed! It is strange how people still think naturists remain naked whatever the weather, and I always explain that we are naturists, not masochists! What you will find is that you need to carry something warm but easy to slip on, as the temperature in this country changes, like the…er…weather!

There are many jokes about what to do with your money and keys, as you have no pockets, and there are no prizes for realising that the female half of a couple always ends up with everything in her handbag – but isn’t that always the case, anywhere? It goes almost without saying that cooking, especially barbecueing, is best done wearing an apron, if only to dispel those silly jokes about cooking the wrong sausage, but also to protect oneself from spitting fat!

Body piercings and tattoos are often a cause for concern. I have never heard of objections to tattoos - just the occasional cringe at the thought of the pain involved in obtaining them! I believe nipple jewellery is generally accepted, but some clubs frown on genital piercings, especially if they are not discreet, so it might be wise to make enquiries before turning up fully adorned.

Naturism can mean different things to different people and you need to decide what the right path is for you. Some people are happy to throw off their clothes when home alone or in the privacy of their own secluded garden (lucky things!), and this is enough for them, but others want to be part of a community and use naturism to meet like-minded individuals. This can open up a whole new world to you, full of new friends and activities linking you with people all over the country, indeed, the world.

For some, naturism is more of an outdoor pastime and they find somewhere to walk off the beaten track. You need to carry some instant clothing to ensure a quick cover-up, but the worry of meeting someone who objects does rather spoil the tranquillity of the moment. Hence people visit beaches that have been set aside, although some involve a hike to reach them, so you must be fit! However nice these designated beaches are, the other problem I must warn you of is that they are still public and there is the chance of people attending for the wrong reason. I am, of course, referring to the presence of ‘meerkats’. If you have ever watched a nature programme about these animals, you will instantly recognise the similarity between them and the rogue males who bob up and down in the sand-dunes to view naked bodies. When behaviour gets beyond that which can be ignored it needs reporting. Regrettably, naturists are loath to do this for fear of local people and council officials using these incidents to close these beaches to them. We don’t want these people polluting our beaches either, so please report them to the police or get advice from BN. Please don’t think all single males are prone to this behaviour - it is a minority group. There is safety in numbers, so place yourself near others and you will find true naturists are a friendly group and that it is easy to engage in conversation. You will soon have someone to watch over your belongings whilst you wander down to the water’s edge.

If a trip to the beach is too far to be worthwhile as the weather might have changed before you get there, then a club is your best bet. You might not have the waves lapping and the sand under your feet, but you will find yourself in a friendly, relaxed, comfortable and safe atmosphere. Does that sound like I am biased towards clubs? Well, maybe I am, because I love what I have at Blackthorns and I don’t deny it! But I also love to visit the Welsh Morfa Dyffryn beach. I will put up with the slight possibility of ‘meerkats’ for the beauty of the sea and sand and if I lived closer, I would be there every weekend. I’ve said it before and I will say it again, by joining a club you are instantly in a safe, secluded environment where everyone is there for the right purpose and this creates a relaxed atmosphere, enabling you to get on with feeling good! Most clubs consist of a pool and sunbathing lawns and a good social scene, with dances and gatherings as well as sporting facilities, which can be for fun or competition. By belonging to CCBN you can join teams and compete against other clubs.

A lot of people discover naturism when holidaying abroad and finding themselves on a naturist beach by accident - or so they say! Perhaps it is their way of trying it out without admitting that it has been their lifelong wish!

There are a growing number of classy holiday destinations for naturists, whether at naturist hotels, near naturist beaches or at a proper naturist complex where you can literally remain undressed day and night for the whole of your stay, whether on the beach, at the bar, in the restaurant or at the supermarket. There is a whole world of naturism to discover out there.

Well, there you are - all set to face the naturist population with pride and confidence. Now I must dash out and buy a new towel as I have just realised that I haven`t any to go with my new red shoes. Oh, and I need a red hat, too…or should I get purple? Oh dear! I just have NOTHING to wear!]]> Mon, 19 Dec 2011 14:17:00 +0000 da4fb5c6e93e74d3df8527599fa62642 Frequently Asked Questions http://www.bn.org.uk/articles.php/_/information/about-naturism/frequently-asked-questions-r19 What preparations should I make before visiting a naturist place?

Generally none at all, apart from those you would normally make to go anywhere. It doesn't take much to make yourself presentable in a naturist environment.

Are children likely to be shocked by their first sight of naturists?

No. Children take to nudity like ducks to water. Cases of children being upset by the sight of nude people are extremely rare. As people grow up, they are taught by social convention that nudity is wrong or shocking. You are not born with an aversion to human bodies: before the Victorian period society was far more tolerant of the bare body and we seem to be moving steadily back in that direction. There's nothing inherently wrong with nudity.

Will I have to go around naked all the time?

Well, nudity is largely the point of naturism. However, in most naturist places you may, rather than must, take all your clothes off. Women may wish to wear a bikini bottom during periods; when the weather cools off, everyone will cover up.

Is it advisable for people with less-than-perfect figures to become naturists?

Yes - that's the whole point. Every body is different, but naturists will like you just as you are. It isn't in the least important what your body is like because people accept you in your entirety. That's all there is to you!

I don't think my wife and I would have the courage to strip off our clothes in what is, in effect, public. How would we get over our inhibitions?

If you visit a naturist beach, you will soon feel that it is you who are out of step among all those naked people - men, women and children! Similarly, nobody expects you to undress the minute you enter the grounds of a naturist club on your initial visit, but in most cases you will quickly feel the relaxed atmosphere and see how comfortable nude people are with one another.

Once you feel at home, which often takes only a few minutes, you will feel free. But if you realise that naturism is not for you, your clothes will stay on and you will leave. In all honesty, few can resist the call of naturism once they have experienced it.

Do men ever become aroused during their first visit?

This is an age-old question among people who have not experienced naturism. Nudity in sun clubs is not sexually stimulating, and being naked in a social environment for the first time will give you plenty else to think about. If this is your worry, try it - you'll be OK.

What will people say when they find I'm a naturist?

They won't unless you choose to tell them. Other naturists are, of course, fully understanding and would want to protect your enjoyment of naturism rather than jeopardise it. People are usually interested in the subject, and naturism is something to be proud of.

Can I expect any real health benefits from naturism?

Yes, if you go to a naturist place you can get fit just enjoying the facilities: swimming and all the other games and sports. It's much more enjoyable than a gym as it doesn't feel like an effort or a chore. You will also benefit from the general air of relaxation and freedom from stress.

I remember seeing that commercial on television, featuring nudists frying Danish Bacon. Isn't it dangerous to do certain things without the protection of clothes?

Yes, it is, which is why the sensible naturist dresses when doing certain jobs, or in cold weather, and is aware of the dangers of sunburn.

When I told my friend I was visiting a naturist club, he was shocked and hinted that I would be mixing with undesirables. Is that right?

Naturists cover the complete range - singles, partners, married couples . . . Most clubs are family orientated, and usually you will see parents with children from babies upwards with their grandparents. There is nothing to offend even the most sensitive soul, and your friend is speaking without knowledge and has assumed wrongly that nudity must mean amorality. You only need to visit a club, beach or leisure centre evening to see what sort of people naturists are, and the pursuits we enjoy. Your friend couldn't be further from the truth.]]> Mon, 19 Dec 2011 14:10:02 +0000 07e1cd7dca89a1678042477183b7ac3f What is Naturism? http://www.bn.org.uk/articles.php/_/information/about-naturism/what-is-naturism-r18 What is Naturism?

Naturism is the practice of going without clothes. Whatever you may think about people who do such a thing, it is not shameful, embarrassing or ridiculous, in fact when the weather is hot it’s the sensible option – and great fun!

It’s good for you too – the human body was not designed to be completely wrapped up in clothes and subjected to artificial heat and light sources and air conditioning 24/7. Millions of normal people have discovered how good it feels to have the sun and breeze on their skin and feel better, more relaxed, less self-conscious and de-stressed as a result. Poor body image is improved when you realise that almost no-one has a “perfect” body.

Sunbathing and swimming are the most popular activities – there is nothing like an all-over tan, and swimming in the nude is bliss. Swimming costumes are among the most uncomfortable, unhealthy and pointless items of clothing there are!

Naturism is also very sociable. Naturists are happy, friendly people who are pleased to have discovered such a great way of being and treat everyone with respect, and as equals. Being among contented, comfortable and like-minded people brings about a sense of mental well-being and – despite what you may think – you quickly become used to being naked among other naked people. Sounds impossible? Even the most reluctant first-timers say how they “forgot” they were nude after only a few minutes and stopped noticing that everyone else was too. Also, simple nudity is not sexually stimulating - in naturist places you will find people doing what you see anywhere else, only without clothes.

We know that newcomers can be hesitant about stripping off in front of others for the first time. Contrary to popular belief, no-one is ever forced to undress and so they can easily experience naturism first hand even if they are not sure if it is for them - and then get involved, or not, at their own pace. Many naturists discovered naturism by accident – often on holiday – and soon realised what they were missing!

When the weather cools, naturists get dressed. Naturist places usually have indoor and outdoor facilities and many are open all year round.

Anyone can be a naturist. Background, age, shape, race, creed and colour are irrelevant and it attracts people from all walks of life. At naturist places you will see babes in arms, children and teenagers right up to the elderly. There are thousands of naturist families – some into many generations - who find that they get on better with each other as they can all enjoy something together and children brought up in naturism say how they grew up without the usual hang-ups about their bodies.


Naturist Opportunities in the UK
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Despite often unreliable weather, naturism is thriving in the UK and there are plenty of easy opportunities for naturism.

Beaches
There are plenty of beaches around our beautiful coastline for naturists, from wide stretches of fine sand close to popular tourist spots to more secluded locations far from the crowds. On a hot day, there is nothing better than getting an all-over tan, skinny-dipping and enjoying the company of like-minded people on a lovely beach.

Clubs and swims
Well over 100 naturist clubs exist across the UK providing an easy and tranquil escape from the rigours of daily life for thousands of naturists. Each club is different, but they usually have well tended grounds centred around a club house, with facilities including a swimming pool, sports facilities, sauna, children’s play areas, campsites and social event calendars. Swims usually take place in leisure complexes hired for a naturist session.

Holidays
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From simple camp sites to luxurious self-catering accommodation, through spas and Bed and Breakfast in private homes there are lots of opportunities to have a naturist break in the UK. Many clubs also have camping facilities, some with accommodation for hire. The variety of locations means naturists can enjoy all the great things that the UK has to offer as a holiday destination, and come “home” to a naturist place in the evening to truly unwind.

Events
British Naturism organise plenty of events throughout the year and support and participate in others. Some are hosted in naturist locations but there are a large and increasing number which take place at well-known public venues. They range from week-long and weekend events with accommodation, to days out and evenings. They include gardens, stately homes, beaches, leisure centres, boat trips, art/exhibition spaces, waterparks, holiday parks and hotels. Trophies for sporting excellence are also contested annually with teams representing the UK abroad against overseas opponents. Overseas group holidays are also arranged.

Naturist Opportunities abroad
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For many naturists, their naturist holiday abroad is the highlight of the year – and there really is something to cater for all tastes and pockets. They include top-class hotels, holiday resorts with acres of land and full activity programmes for kids and adults alike, apartment complexes, simple camp sites, even sailing holidays and nude cruises. They include locations inland, on the coast, in the mountains, near to busy towns and local tourist attractions. Many have state-of-the-art therapy centres with fitness machines, massage and spas. Many non-naturist resorts have nude beaches or roof top terraces. Newcomers to naturism are often amazed at how many places exist around the world for a fully naturist holiday and are further surprised to see that they are no different from holiday places elsewhere – except for the dress code. In most places you can undress when you arrive and not need to reach for your clothes again until you leave. Often, once people have tried a naturist holiday, they never go back to wearing a costume again.


British Naturism
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British Naturism, or “BN”, is the UK’s internationally recognised organisation for naturism and exists to unite and support naturists, to protect naturist places and to help to provide more, make social nudity more acceptable across the UK and to provide comprehensive information on naturism around the world. BN has existed in its present form since 1964, when two naturist societies with their roots in the 1930s joined forces. It is largely a volunteer organisation with most of our people offering their time for free. We represent the UK at the International Naturist Federation (INF).

There is no offence of nudity in English law, and despite there being millions of naturists in the UK, society doesn’t always understand why people would go without clothes and so we have many challenges. We campaign and inform against discrimination, poor laws, Victorian attitudes and misunderstanding and work to make the life of a UK naturist a happier and easier one as well as encouraging many more people to discover the benefits of being without clothes.

Come and join us!
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Become a member of British Naturism and get great benefits such as:
  • A quarterly magazine;
  • access to the Members’ Forum;
  • events – some for members only, others with big discounts on entry;
  • and meeting like-minded people and belonging to a vibrant community.
You’ll also be playing your part in helping us to do our work - Join online now.

Alternatively, write to BN (Dept. WIN), 30-32 Wycliffe Road, Northampton, NN1 5JF, email headoffice@bn.org.uk, or call 01604 620361 and ask for an information pack.


Some things you might like to know about Naturism

Naturism is normal
It’s just ordinary people choosing not to wear clothes when the weather and circumstances are appropriate. Our activities are no different from what most people do in their leisure time, other than the dress code. We’re not anti-clothes, we just know they are not always essential. It’s also a lot of fun!

Everyone was born naked
…and yet now anyone wanting to return to that natural state is treated with at best, mild amusement and at worst, suspicion. Being naked isn’t obscene, provocative, ridiculous, eccentric, shameful, immodest, weird, rude, disgusting, perverted etc.

Naturism is good for you
It promotes positive body image as there is no such thing as the perfect body and we’re all unique. Physical health is improved with the benefits of sunshine and fresh air, which we don’t get enough of; and mental health benefits from relaxation, de-stressing and a friendly, comfortable community spirit. Most sunbathers wear very little more than we do. Swimsuits are pointless – why get dressed to get wet? It has wider benefits too – teenage pregnancy rates are lower in countries with a more relaxed attitude to nudity.

Naturism is not about sex
Naturists are not asexual, but despite what people think, a gathering of naked people doesn’t make for a sexually charged environment.

Naturism is not embarrassing
Once in a naturist place, you soon get used to being surrounded by naked people and forget that you are not wearing clothes. It’s clothed people that stand out. What you look like is irrelevant. No-one stares at you, or judges your appearance – it’s all about feeling good for yourself. No-one is forced to be naked all the time and people will put something on if the weather turns.

Naturism is very popular
Millions of people in the UK and around the world have discovered this wonderful way of life. There are thousands of holiday resorts and other places serving the community. Plenty of people skinny-dip, go topless on beaches and spend time naked at home.

Naturist children are happy, well-adjusted and safe
Children don’t care if they are wearing clothes or not, it’s adults who make them get dressed. They grow up with a better understanding of what will happen to their bodies and enjoy a relaxed, outdoor life. Naturist places tend to have entry requirements and secure gates, making the inside a far safer environment than the outside.]]> Mon, 19 Dec 2011 14:03:27 +0000 5ef059938ba799aaa845e1c2e8a762bd